After putting in years of hard work in the industry, Anil Ravipudi is debuting as a director with Pataas, starring Nandamuri Kalyanram who is also producing the film.
Anil, who entered the industry thanks to his uncle, director Arun Prasad, says, “I worked initially as a co-director and then helped write many films. Slowly, I started writing individually. But my ultimate goal was always to become a director.” He had joined the industry in 2005 after completing his B.Tech.
 
Hailing from Chilukurivaripalem village in Prakasam district, the son of an RTC driver says that he always wanted to join the industry. “But my parents wanted me to complete my education first,” says Anil. After completing his B.Tech, he approached his uncle Arun Prasad for a job in films. “My first film was Goutham SSC, directed by my uncle.”
 
Since then, he has also worked in films like Boss, Shouryam, Ala Modalaindi, Masala and Aagadu. “My parents told me, ‘give it three years. If you succeed you can continue, otherwise try for some job’. In three years I did reasonably well and they didn’t object,” adds Anil.
 
For Pataas, he approached Kalyanram through a friend. “Three years back, I had met Kalyanram and narrated the story. He liked it and wanted to produce it. But at that time he was busy with his 3D film Om. I was in touch with him continuously and last year we started the project,” says Anil, adding, “The story is an entertaining one about a corrupt officer who turns into a serious one.”
 
The film is set to release next week. “My father will retire a few months after the film releases,” he says, adding that his father still can’t believe that an RTC driver’s son could become a Tollywood director.