Rana Daggubati credits Telugu audience for pushing filmmakers to make 'bigger and better cinema' like Baahubali, Kalki

Actor Rana Daggubati was speaking about the growth of VFX in Indian cinema at the launch of Netflix’s Eyeline Studios in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Not many know that before he was Bhallaladeva or any other character on screen, Rana Daggubati worked as a VFX artist. Having been involved with the development of VFX in Indian cinema in the 2000s, Rana was perhaps the perfect person to be present for the launch of Netflix’s Eyeline Studios in the country. On Thursday, the studio behind the VFX for titles like Stranger Things and Wednesday launched its first state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad, and Rana was among the guests.

Rana Daggubati starred as Bhallaladeva in the Baahubali films.

Rana Daggubati thanks audiences for pushing filmmakers

Speaking from the stage, the actor-producer spoke about why Hyderabad, his hometown, was the perfect place for this new start. “Today, people speak about Hyderabad as the next centre for innovation. I need to first thank the audiences who kept pushing the filmmakers for bigger and better cinema. The filmmakers from Hyderabad constantly kept pushing boundaries. Whether it is Baahubali of Kalki 2898 AD or RRR contain majority of technicians from this place,” he said.

Baahubali, directed by SS Rajamouli, is regarded as the first pan-India hit of modern times. The two films grossed ₹2400 crore worldwide and starred Rana, alongside Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Sathyaraj. Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, and RRR, again directed by Rajamouli, were also pan-India hits that grossed over ₹1000 crore each.

Rana spoke about seeing the VFX journey in Indian cinema back in 2006 when he worked behind the scenes as a 21-year-old. The actor said that the advancements in VFX and CGI have created a stage where filmmakers can accurately visualise and create what they imagine. “I have been seeing the journey of VFX evolve, and the AI pipeline take shape. I believe this is the best time for such stories because what you can imagine can come alive on the screen now,” Rana reasoned.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy with Rana Daggubati and others during the inauguration of Eyeline Studios' Hyderabad facility on Thursday. (@revanth_anumula)

Netflix's Eyeline Studios launched in India

Before this, the Hyderabad facility of Eyeline Studios was inaugurated by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The CM pitched Hyderabad as a hub for film innovation, with more state-of-the-art VFX studios coming up in the city, and invited Netflix to set up a larger facility in the 'Bharat Future City' being developed by the state government on the city's outskirts.

In a release, Netflix said the launch of Eyeline Studios in India aligns with its global strategy to expand its production innovation infrastructure. The 32,000-square-foot facility in the heart of Hyderabad features state-of-the-art technology for advanced visual effects and generative virtual effects, supported by a hybrid cloud infrastructure.

Also present at the inauguration were Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Jeff Shapiro, CEO of Eyeline Studios; and Telangana IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu.