Rohit–Sasi

Rohit and Sasi
Rohit and Sasi
	Rohit and Sasi
Born	Rohit Penumatsa; a.k.a. Avanti Ruya; 10 September 1988 (age 36); Vijayawada, Andhra PradeshCamp Sasi; 30 March 1976 (age 48); Naoroji Camp, Telangana
Alma mater	Loyola College, Chennai; (Rohit Penumatsa); TGLV, Polytechnic, Adoni; (Camp Sasi)
Occupations	Film directors; screenwriters; film editor (Avanti Ruya);
Years active	2011–present

Rohit and Sasi^[1] (stylized as Rohit & Sasi) are Indian independent filmmakers known for the web series Story Discussion and Nirudyoga Natulu through their production house, Avanti Cinema, praised for unique storytelling, innovative filmmaking, and a dedication to non-mainstream narratives.^[2] They are also known for their film Sheeshmahal which was first shot in 2013, was released on 14 February 2024.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Since 2011, all films scripted, or directed by Rohit and Sasi fell under the banner of Avanti Chitranaalayam until 2021 when they formally established themselves as Avanti Cinema.^[3]^[4]

Sheeshmahal

Rohit and Sasi's first notable collaboration was on the film Sheeshmahal, which was shot in 2013 and had a delayed release on 14 February 2024. Rohit served as the films screenplay-editor, with Vivek Sagar as the music director, Gnana Shekar V. S. as the director of photography, and Rahul Ramakrishna as the lead actor. The film was shot at the 13th International Children's Film Festival India in Hyderabad. The film also was screened at many events.^[5]^[6] The film had a limited released at Prasads Multiplex and an OTT release on ETVWIN.^[7]

In 2016, paying homage to Jafar Panahi's Taxi Tehran, Rohit and Sasi presented A Love Letter to Cinema. Produced by Anil AKC, the film premiered on YouTube on 18 September 2016, featuring Vivek Sagar's return as the music director.^[8]^[9]

Teaming up with Tamada Media and Karthik Kult Kreations, Rohit and Sasi ventured into the web series domain with Story Discussion in 2017. The series' success led Mic TV to commission them for Nirudyoga Natulu, released on YouTube from 28 April 2018, to 24 June 2018.^[4] After the success of Nirudyoga Natulu, Anvesh Michael^[10] and Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari^[11] went on to fulfill the prophecy of the characters of aspiring actors they played, as Anvesh became a lead in Aha's Kotha Poradu,^[12] and Jagadeesh eventually landed a supporting role in Sukumar's Pushpa: The Rise.^[13]

Later in 2018, the duo unveiled Ajeeb Dastan, a 35-minute short film serving as a spin-off centered on the character Harsha the Writer from the Story Discussion series. At the Ajeeb Dastan screening, Rohit & Sasi presented a pitch trailer for the "Season 2 of Story Discussion" as part of a crowdfunding campaign.^[14]

Double Engine

Double Engine, released on 5 January 2024, represents a significant shift for Rohit Penumatsa and Sasi Camp as they venture into the realm of theatrical filmmaking. Produced under Waltair Productions by Siddharth Rallapalli and Vishwadev Rachakonda, known for their successful film Pareshan, this mass commercial project departs from the duo's previous web-based productions. The film, featuring Vivek Sagar's musical compositions, unfolds against the rustic backdrop of Telangana.^[15]

Filmography

Short films

Year	Title	Directors	Actor	Editor	Role	Notes
2011	Marijuana In Smaller Towns (M.I.S.T)	Rohit		Yes
2018	Ajeeb Dastan	Yes	Sasi	Yes	Mohan Kumar
2021	Gadavani Kaalam	Rohit		Yes
	The Scene	Sasi		Yes	Director
	Beer Fiction	Sasi		Yes
	Akrama Sambandham	Yes		Yes
2022	Etthulu	Sasi		Yes	Debter	Co-written and co-directed by Divya
2023	The Scene: Take Two	Sasi		Yes
2023	Rights	Ramana Reddy	Sasi	Yes	Raju

Feature films

Year	Title	Directors	Writers	Actor	Editor	Role	Notes
2017	A Love Letter to Cinema	Yes	Yes	Sasi	Yes	Driver
2017	Ranganaayaki	Yes	Yes	Sasi	Yes	Mohan Kumar
2021	Pickpocket	No	No	Rohit	Yes		Cameo
2024	Double Engine	Rohit	Yes	Sasi	Yes	Farmhouse owner	Cameo^[16] Sasi as lyricist
2024	Sheeshmahal	Sasi		Yes	Yes	Cameramen	Multilingual film^[2]^[17]
TBD	Chivaraku Migiledhi	Yes	Yes		Yes		Post production
	Madhu Babu	Yes	No		Yes		Filming
	3GT — Gopi Galla Goa Trip	Yes	Yes	Sasi	Yes		Cameo appearance; post production
	A Love Letter to Theatre	Yes	Yes		Yes

Streaming television

Year	Title	Creators	Directors	Writers	Actor	Editor	Role	Notes
2017-2022	Story Discussion	Yes	Rohit	Yes	Yes	Yes	Rohit as cameo appearance Sasi as Mohan Kumar, Prakash Chowdary	Sasi as lyricist
2018	Nirudyoga Natulu	Yes	Yes^[a]	Yes	Sasi	Yes	Rahul Karun
2020	Kotha Poradu	No	No	No	Sasi	Yes	Production Head	Sasi as lyricist

Frequent collaborations

Collaborator	Role	M.I.S.T	Sheeshmahal	A Love Letter to Cinema	Story Discussion	Nirudyoga Natulu	Ranganaayaki	Ajeeb Dastan	Pickpocket	Etthulu	Akrama Sambandham	The Scene	Madhu Babu	Double Engine	Chivaraku Migiledhi	Gopi Galla Goa Trip (#3GT)
Gnana Shekar V. S.	Cinematographer		Y
Vivek Sagar	Music Director	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y						Y	Y
Gayathri Gupta	Actor				Y	Y							Y	Y
John Kottoly	Actor			Y	Y
Laxman Meesala	Actor				Y	Y							Y
Rahul Ramakrishna	Actor	Additional vocals	Y		Y	Y
Bharat Vyas N	Cinematographer			Y	Y
Anvesh Michael	Actor				Y	Y									Y
Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari	Actor				Cameo	Y^[18]			Y	Cameo				Y (Singer)	Y
Raj Tirandasu	Actor				Y	Y							Y		Y
Teja ASGK	Sound Design		Y	Y	Y				Y					Y
Jubin Raj	Sound Design		Y	Y	Y				Y					Y
Snehal Jangala	Producer		Y
Sanal George	Sound Design		Y	Y
Divya Bandaru	Actor, Director			Y	Y	Y			Y (director)	Y (director)
Shashank Raghavula	Cinematographer								Y	Y			Y	Y		Y
Ramana Reddy	Producer								Y	Y		Y
Smaran	Music Director						Y		Y	Y						Y
Ravi Nidamarthy	Music Director					Mixtape					Y		Y			Y

Notes

^ While Rohit and Sasi jointly directed four episodes, Rohit independently directed three episodes and Sasi independently directed two episodes.

References

^ "'Most of our scripts are improvised'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (1 December 2021). "Telugu indie filmmakers Camp Sasi and Rohit Penumatsa talk about their film 'Sheesh Mahal' and their journey". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
^ Today, Telangana (8 December 2021). "Hyderabad filmmakers aim to create OTT platform". Telangana Today. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Two indie filmmakers believe their alternate platform could change filmmaking model in Tollywood". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
^ "Hyderabad-based indie filmmaker takes the crowdfunding route for 'Sheesh Mahal'". DNA India. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
^ "Sheesh Mahal is an upcoming Telugu independent film directed by Sasi". Behindwoods. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
^ Kumar, Nelki Naresh. "Sheesh Mahal Movie: ఈ వారం థియేట‌ర్ల‌లో...నెక్ట్స్ వీక్ ఓటీటీలో రిలీజ్ కాబోతోన్న‌ రాహుల్ రామ‌కృష్ణ ఆంథాల‌జీ మూవీ". Hindustantimes Telugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 17 February 2024.
^ A Shade of the Evening (From "A Love Letter To Cinema") - Single by Vivek Sagar & Avanti Cinema, 6 October 2016, retrieved 16 November 2023
^ A Love Letter To Cinema (with subs)| A film by Rohit & Sasi | Vyas || Vivek Sagar, retrieved 16 November 2023
^ Teja, Charan (19 August 2021). "Meet Anvesh Michael, whose series Kotha Poradu showcases rural Telangana". The News Minute. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
^ "'I am an accidental actor,' says Jagadeesh Prathap". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
^ "On a regional dark new film making mode". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
^ Srikar, Ram Venkat (29 May 2023). "Sukumar Sir's Filmmaking Style Always Shocks Me: Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari". www.filmcompanion.in. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
^ "Story Discussion Season 2". Indie Birds. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
^ Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (5 January 2024). "'Double Engine' movie review: Rohit Penumatsa and Camp Sasi deliver an unhinged coming-of-age tale from rural Telangana". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
^ "Double Engine | Song — Palletoori Pillagada (Lyrical) | Telugu Video Songs — Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
^ Sheesh Mahal (2020) | MUBI, retrieved 15 November 2023
^ "'The sets of Pushpa was my film school'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

External links

Rohit Penumatsa at IMDb
Camp Sasi at IMDb

[18] While Rohit and Sasi jointly directed four episodes, Rohit independently directed three episodes and Sasi independently directed two episodes.

[1] "'Most of our scripts are improvised'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[:0-2] Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (1 December 2021). "Telugu indie filmmakers Camp Sasi and Rohit Penumatsa talk about their film 'Sheesh Mahal' and their journey". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

[3] Today, Telangana (8 December 2021). "Hyderabad filmmakers aim to create OTT platform". Telangana Today. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

[:1-4] "Two indie filmmakers believe their alternate platform could change filmmaking model in Tollywood". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

[5] "Hyderabad-based indie filmmaker takes the crowdfunding route for 'Sheesh Mahal'". DNA India. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

[6] "Sheesh Mahal is an upcoming Telugu independent film directed by Sasi". Behindwoods. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

[7] Kumar, Nelki Naresh. "Sheesh Mahal Movie: ఈ వారం థియేట‌ర్ల‌లో...నెక్ట్స్ వీక్ ఓటీటీలో రిలీజ్ కాబోతోన్న‌ రాహుల్ రామ‌కృష్ణ ఆంథాల‌జీ మూవీ". Hindustantimes Telugu (in Telugu). Retrieved 17 February 2024.

[8] A Shade of the Evening (From "A Love Letter To Cinema") - Single by Vivek Sagar & Avanti Cinema, 6 October 2016, retrieved 16 November 2023

[9] A Love Letter To Cinema (with subs)| A film by Rohit & Sasi | Vyas || Vivek Sagar, retrieved 16 November 2023

[10] Teja, Charan (19 August 2021). "Meet Anvesh Michael, whose series Kotha Poradu showcases rural Telangana". The News Minute. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

[11] "'I am an accidental actor,' says Jagadeesh Prathap". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

[12] "On a regional dark new film making mode". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

[13] Srikar, Ram Venkat (29 May 2023). "Sukumar Sir's Filmmaking Style Always Shocks Me: Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari". www.filmcompanion.in. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

[14] "Story Discussion Season 2". Indie Birds. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2023.

[15] Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (5 January 2024). "'Double Engine' movie review: Rohit Penumatsa and Camp Sasi deliver an unhinged coming-of-age tale from rural Telangana". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 February 2024.

[16] "Double Engine | Song — Palletoori Pillagada (Lyrical) | Telugu Video Songs — Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

[17] Sheesh Mahal (2020) | MUBI, retrieved 15 November 2023

[19] "'The sets of Pushpa was my film school'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

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