Indian Idol 15 Celebrates ‘One Year of Animal’ with its Director Sandeep Reddy Vanga

This weekend, the much-loved singing reality show, Indian Idol Season 15, on Sony Entertainment Television will be ‘Celebrating One Year of Animal’, in the presence of its director, Sandeep Reddy Vanga. In this special episode, Sandeep Reddy Vanga will join as a guest to share his inspiring journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most talked-about directors in the industry. The episode features a captivating performance by contestant Ritika Raj, who sings the song “Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage.” Sandeep expressed his admiration for the performance, saying, “I never imagined this song in a female voice, but I really liked it.”

Ritika and Sandeep also engaged in a candid conversation about his early life and the incredible journey that led him to become a filmmaker. Ritika asked Sandeep, “We’ve heard that your family was very supportive. How did they help you along the way?”. Sandeep shared a touching story, saying, “My family’s support has been crucial. I once challenged my mother that I would become a director before I spent the 2 lakhs I earned in Sydney working at McDonald’s and Subway while I was in film school. It took me 6-7 years, but without my family’s support, Arjun Reddy would not have turned out the way it did. I went to many producers with the idea, but nothing worked out, and then we decided to produce it ourselves. That’s where my family played a key role.”

Sandeep also spoke about his initial career aspirations and how he transitioned into filmmaking. Ritika asked, “I heard you initially wanted to be a physiotherapist. How did you end up becoming a director? Did you manifest it?”. Sandeep revealed, “In the 1990s and early 2000s, in a South Indian family, you were either supposed to be an engineer or a doctor. I didn’t get the marks for MBBS, so I chose physiotherapy. But after the first year, I realized I didn’t have either the passion or the motive to make money in this field. Since childhood, I had been interested in photography, which eventually turned into a passion for storytelling. I went to Sydney to study in a film school, returned, and it took me 6-7 years to finally become a director.”

Shreya Ghoshal also joined the conversation, asking Sandeep if his decision to attend film school was driven solely by his vision, or if his family had any role in it. Sandeep explained, “My family was very supportive, especially my mother, who helped with the fees for film school and the production of Arjun Reddy. I’ve been criticized for not giving enough importance to the mother’s role in my films, but I’ve realized that in real life, I am much more attached to my mother. But since we don’t have any complaints in that relationship, there is no drama there or any angst that compels me to write about it. If I ever make a mother-son story, it will be very positive, nothing dark and only good vibes.”

Don’t miss this episode of Indian Idol 15, airing this weekend at 9 PM only on Sony Entertainment Television.