Raghavendra Rao Compares Beards With Sukumar Boldly

Raghavendra Rao, who once stayed away from the media during his peak years as a director, is now more active in public events and interviews after stepping back from filmmaking. Known for delivering some of Telugu cinema’s biggest hits in the '80s and '90s, he recently attended the Knots event in the US. His presence alongside Sukumar, Allu Arjun, and Sreeleela sparked interest, especially among Telugu audiences abroad.

During his speech, Raghavendra Rao made a few casual comparisons between himself and Sukumar. He joked about their similar beards but also spoke about how both found major breakthroughs with forest-themed films, Adavi Ramudu for him, and Pushpa for Sukumar. He credited Sukumar for turning that setting into a blockbuster and giving Allu Arjun a strong push as a pan-India star. Raghavendra Rao also said he felt proud seeing Allu Arjun and Sreeleela, both of whom he once launched, now sharing the same platform.

Sukumar responded with gratitude toward Telugu viewers in the US. He said their support for 1 Nenokkadine, even when it didn’t do well in India, helped him get another chance in the industry. Mythri Movie Makers’ Naveen Erneni echoed this, saying that the Telugu community abroad has played a big role in keeping strong content alive and visible.

Allu Arjun wrapped it up by saying that no matter where Telugu people are, they carry the same pride. Looking at the crowd in the US, he said it didn’t feel far from home. The event wasn’t just about star presence, it highlighted how much the Telugu film world depends on its audience, both local and global, to keep pushing forward.