Director Chandoo Mondeti joined forces with hero Naga Chaitanya for the third time for the much-awaited Thandel which is carrying exceptional reports. Sai Pallavi is the leading lady in the movie produced by Allu Aravind and Bunny Vasu on Geetha Arts.

Chandoo Mondeti shares that Thandel came to him unexpectedly. “The story came to me out of the blue while I was discussing various ideas with Bunny Vasu. If this story hadn’t been based on real events, I personally wouldn’t have written such a rooted narrative.”

The director also speaks about the influence of Allu Aravind and Sai Pallavi on him. “My journey with Allu Aravind and Sai Pallavi has helped me evolve as a person. Allu Aravind takes great care of everyone around him. Sai Pallavi is flawless as an actor and a wonderful human being. Despite facing many personal allegations, she never showed frustration or made negative comments about anyone.”

Chandoo Mondeti reveals the identity of the real Thandel in the film. “This movie has multiple Thandels. We all refer to Aravind as Thandel. Aravind calls me Thandel. For all of us, he is the true Thandel. His energy is unmatched.”

He goes on to say that Naga Chaitanya’s role was challenging. “More than the physical transformation, playing a fisherman’s role is no easy feat. To get into character, Chay worked hard. He met real fishermen, observed them, and had deep discussions with them. He even hired a tutor to perfect the slang. He stood on the beach for nearly 40 minutes to get a single shot right. Chay truly has fire in him.”

The director also emphasizes how tough the shooting process was. “There were many difficult days during the shoot. Once, while we were heading towards the mountain, a rock hit the bottom of our boat and caused it to crack. The boat began sinking slowly, and we were in a near-death situation. Thankfully, the rescue team arrived just in time and saved us.”

Thandel is scheduled to release in multiple languages on February 7th.