Srikanth Odela Admits He ‘Tortured’ Ram Charan During Rangasthalam Shoot, Yet Actor Gave Him a Special Gift

Hyderabad: Filmmaker Srikanth Odela has shared a heartwarming story from the making of Rangasthalam, revealing that his demanding approach on the sets once left him jokingly describing himself as someone who “tortured” Ram Charan's team.

Odela, who worked as an assistant director under Sukumar on the 2018 Telugu blockbuster, recently recalled the experience while promoting his upcoming film The Paradise. He also revealed that despite his demanding ways, Ram Charan gave him a deeply personal gift that Odela has treasured ever since.

‘I used to torture Ram Charan's team’

During a conversation with actor Raghav Juyal, Odela was asked about the locket he regularly wears. He revealed that the accessory has a direct connection to his Rangasthalam days.

Odela explained that he was extremely particular about costumes and early-morning shoots, which meant constantly pushing the team to meet his requirements.

“I used to torture Ram Charan's team about the costumes, the early morning shoots and all of that.”

However, Odela clarified that by “torture” he meant it in a good-natured, professional sense, reflecting how seriously he approached his responsibilities on the set.

Ram Charan's unexpected gift

Odela said that towards the end of the Rangasthalam shoot, someone from Ram Charan's team called him to the actor's vanity van.

He initially wondered why Charan wanted to meet him. Inside the van, Ram Charan reportedly handed him the rudraksh locket.

Odela explained that the locket had been used by Charan in the film and that there were only two such pieces, reportedly commissioned by Chiranjeevi.

The filmmaker said he was deeply emotional when Charan gave him one of them.

He also revealed that he never asked Charan why he chose to give him the locket and simply accepted it as a meaningful gesture.

‘I have never taken it off’

The gift became much more than a souvenir for Odela.

According to the filmmaker, he has continued wearing the locket since the final day of the Rangasthalam shoot and has never taken it off.

Odela recently told Charan about the story again when they met, but said the actor appeared to have forgotten the circumstances surrounding the gift.

For Odela, however, the locket remains a cherished reminder of his early days in the Telugu film industry and his association with one of its biggest stars.

From assistant director to successful filmmaker

Rangasthalam was an important stepping stone in Odela's filmmaking journey. He joined Sukumar's team after expressing his desire to become a filmmaker and was assigned responsibilities including costumes during the production.

He later made his directorial debut with Nani-starrer Dasara in 2023, establishing himself as one of Telugu cinema's emerging filmmakers.

Odela is now preparing for the release of The Paradise, another collaboration with Nani. The film is scheduled for release on September 24, 2026, and also features Raghav Juyal and Kayadu Lohar.

The locket carries a special Rangasthalam memory

The story has offered fans a glimpse into the relationships that can develop behind the scenes during film production.

What began with Odela pushing the Rangasthalam team over costumes and shooting schedules ultimately ended with a personal gesture from Ram Charan that the filmmaker has kept close for years.

For Odela, the rudraksh locket is therefore not simply an accessory—it represents a memorable chapter from the early stage of his filmmaking career and his time working alongside Sukumar and Ram Charan.