Best time for women to be part of the film industry: Swathi Gunupati

After having gained rich experience in various capacities during her stint in television, Swathi Gunupati has turned to the silver screen. Mangalavaram, starring Payal Rajput, directed by Ajay Bhupathi is produced by her. The teaser which was recently launched, has attracted good response. “I am super thrilled. We believe our efforts will pay off,” says Swathi.

Having completed schooling in Singapore and graduated in Business Management from Bengaluru, Swathi interned under her father for a television channel (MAA). “I started to work at a young age as a mere executive and went on to occupy good positions. I felt there’s no better experience than learning on the job, so I continued to work. Moreover, it gives me a chance to be close to my father and work with him since I was away for most of my academic life,” she says.

Swathi has been fascinated by films since childhood. She started to observe them critically  after her father (Prasad) started discussing and analysing them. “That’s how the thought of getting into films originated. Also, seeing so many people come together and work for a director’s vision excited me a lot,” she shares.

Swathi continued to work with her father for around five years. After Covid, she and her husband (Pranav Reddy) started their own firm — Mudra Ventures. “After having gained so much experience, I wanted to try my hand at being an entrepreneur,” she says. The couple has been investing in skincare and defence-related businesses and started their own pizza brand too. However, her desire to enter films remained. She contacted her long-time associate Suresh Varma. “We soon floated Mudra Media, an entertainment division,” she says. The two liked director Ajay Bhupathi’s idea. Things materialised quickly after that. While Swathi is the producer, Varma is her co-producer of the film.

Interestingly, Swathi did not tell her father of her foray into production. He knew it only when the film’s trailer was launched. “When my father saw my name in the trailer, he couldn’t believe that I had made it happen. He was surprised,” she smiles.

Acknowledging that it is challenging to be a producer, Swathi says getting the right team is key. Shooting during nights for long schedules at Atreyapuram was tough. Understanding the filmmaking process was also a bit hard. She says it is from her father that she has got the skills of encouraging and empowering teams and delegating work.

Today, more women are coming into the industry than ever before. “This is one of the best times for women to be part of the industry as the opportunities are more. When I said I want to become a producer, everyone encouraged me,” says Swathi, who shares ideas about creativity and film content with Chiranjeevi’s daughters, who are her close friends.

A mother of two – Eesha (5) and Eshwar (2) – Swathi acknowledges that it is challenging to strike a work-life balance. However, her strong support system (her family) was instrumental in her success. “My mother and mother-in-law take care of several things, including my kids. My husband has been my backbone and he finds happiness in my success. I have a good team as well. So over the years I have built a good ecosystem that helped achieve my dreams. I always believe that if your kids see you being happy with what you are doing, they too unknowingly encourage you,” she says. “Everyone has dreams, but not all are fortunate enough to turn the dreams into reality. So, when I look back, I am grateful for the opportunities,” she signs off.