Actor Mouli Tanuj of 90s Middle-Class Biopic fame and young actress Shivani Nagaram, who made a mark with Ambajipeta Marriage Band, play the lead roles in Little Hearts. The film is directed by Sai Marthand under the ETV Win Original Productions banner. Aditya Hassan, who earlier directed 90s Middle-Class Biopic, is the producer of this film. The theatrical release is being presented by Bunny Vas and Vamsi Nandipati. Little Hearts is set for a grand theatrical release on September 5th. Speaking in an interview today, Bunny Vas and Vamsi shared the highlights of the film.
Producer & Distributor Bunny Vas said:
“Vamsi first told me about Little Hearts, saying it was a good film. Later, Aditya Hassan explained the film in detail. When I finally watched it, I really liked it. Then I realized Vamsi was indeed referring to this movie. The content is strong, and we immediately decided to go for a theatrical release.
We didn’t get involved creatively, apart from giving a few suggestions. The entire credit goes to the team. The cast mostly includes newcomers or faces known through OTT. So, I expect the openings will be slow, but collections will pick up from matinee and first shows onwards.
We didn’t have any better release dates. On the 12th, multiple films are coming, and on the 19th, OG will dominate. If Little Hearts sustains through the first week with positive talk, it will move into a better run. It’s a youthful entertainer with no vulgarity, families can also enjoy it together.
Unlike Hindi and Malayalam films that get strong theatrical runs, in Telugu cinema we move films to OTT within four weeks. Our theatrical promotions indirectly help OTT performance too. At the end of the day, the audience won’t come just because we demand them to; if the film is good, they’ll turn up.
Yes, multiplex food rates are high, but when a movie is worth it, audiences don’t mind spending. Smaller films ideally should have ₹150 ticket rates. But practically, if we reduce only for our film, other films will push for ₹200 tickets, which creates issues.
Little Hearts is a very good film. If it had released 4–5 years ago, it would’ve stormed the theatres. The advantage now is that in the coming weeks there aren’t many youth-oriented fun films, so this will stand out.
I watched the final copy, audiences will laugh a lot. The song “Kathyaayani Nannu Love Cheyi” will definitely turn into meme content. The 16–20 age group will especially connect with this film. Unlike 90s Middle-Class Biopic, which had a school backdrop, this one revolves around inter-college, EAMCET exams, and the fun, struggles, and love that bloom in that phase.
The hero’s character, Akhil (played by Mouli), always stays cheerful even in tough situations. The story is less about family drama and more about students, coaching centers, exams, and the charm of falling in love.
We only distribute films with strong content, though not all may work commercially. Last week, we distributed one more film that was more OTT-friendly. Today, OTT platforms don’t consider a film unless it plays in at least 90 theatres.
Rules say every theatre should play 5 shows, but hardly anyone follows them. COVID changed the industry drastically, both content and promotions. Earlier methods don’t work now. Today, only if the trailer clicks will audiences show interest.
From our side, our next film Mitramandali will release on October 16th, for Diwali.”
Producer & Distributor Vamsi Nandipati said:
“When we came on board, Little Hearts was 80% complete and in post-production. We gave our suggestions only from an audience’s perspective. While watching it, we strongly felt this was theatrical material and would blast in theatres.
This is the first film being presented by Bunny Vas under his banner. A young team worked on it, and their energy reflects on the screen. ETV Win has been bringing very good content. Their films and shows remind us of our childhood memories. 90s Middle-Class Biopic recalled school days, Air reminded us of college days, and now Little Hearts will take us to the phase when a boy proposes to a girl after college, and the efforts he makes to win his love.
Content has evolved a lot. Even when I made Polimera, things were different. Audience preferences have changed, and producers also need to adapt.
On September 3rd, we’re planning special shows in Hyderabad, Vizag, and Vijayawada exclusively for students. On the 4th, we will hold paid premieres. The film will release in around 170 theatres on the 5th.”
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