One day, I went to meet a film producer and entered the wrong flat. It was a casting agency, and they suggested that I audition for a four-hero Telugu film. I was confirmed a month later. Interestingly, it's not easy down South for a newcomer to bag positive roles, but I was adamant.

Harshvardhan Rane

I joined the Madras Christian College but dropped out after three months. Telugu music director Ramesh Naidu asked me to assist him, and I did so for over a year. I did think of rejoining college, but by then, I was discovering the musician in me. I worked with Illaya Raja and Raj Koti and soon shifted to commercials. This led to movie offers.

A. R. Rahman

My mother is a Chitrapur Saraswat from Mangalore and half-Telugu, and my father is a Bohri Muslim. My mother's father, J Rameshwar Rao, was the Raja of Wanaparthy, a principality of Hyderabad. He was influenced by the socialist movement and became the first Raja to give up his title.

Aditi Rao Hydari

My formative years were not spent in Hyderabad, so I can only understand Telugu, but I love the culture.

Aditi Rao Hydari

My mother tongue is Telugu. I was born and brought up in Tamil Nadu.

Aishwarya Rajesh

In Telugu filmdom, audiences like to see their hero dance, fight and play a larger-than-life character. It's precisely why most of our commercial films do extremely well and get remade too.

Akhil Akkineni

Humor and family emotions are integral to Telugu cinema.

Akhil Akkineni

I want to thank the audience of both the Telugu speaking states for standing by me throughout my journey.

Allu Arjun

I speak Tamil and Telugu better than Bengali.

Amala Akkineni

I was in Hyderabad shooting for a Telugu film with Mahesh Babu when Aamir called, saying he wanted me to play the widow Jwala in 'Mangal Pandey.'

Amisha Patel

I started with Tamil film, then Hindi. Now, I am also doing a Telugu film. The journey has been wonderful so far.

Amy Jackson

I have worked really hard to reach where I am - I worked hard on my Hindi and diction because I am a Parsi and Hindi is not my strong point, and I've also learnt Tamil and Telugu because I want to get my lines right. I want to be known as a performer.

Amyra Dastur

I really respect Telugu cinema and the fact that people out here have a totally different style of working and are at par with Bollywood. Sometimes, they beat Bollywood with the kind of films they make.

Amyra Dastur

The fact that I did a Tamil film is going to help me a lot in learning Telugu.

Amyra Dastur

Like Tamil audiences, the Telugus, too, are welcoming of novelty. The fact that 'Arjun Reddy,' which had no regular songs, became such a big hit, says it all.

Andrea Jeremiah

Should I be offered the right kind of script, I will be doing a straight Telugu film.

Andrea Jeremiah

I have lot of respect of filmmakers who work in Telugu and Tamil.

Anil Kapoor

I have been inspired by world cinema in different ways. But no, 'Raja The Great' is not a copy. It's not based on any film. You will see a lot of Telugu nativity, moreover.

Anil Ravipudi

Music has no language. That's something I've come to believe in even more ever since 'Kolaveri Di' happened. I don't deliberately make separate Tamil, Hindi, or Telugu tracks.

Anirudh Ravichander

It was when I was shooting for a Telugu film in Hyderabad when director Meher Ramesh approached me for 'Veera Kannadiga.' I was game to explore a new language and said yes.

Anita Hassanandani Reddy

Tollywood has a special place in my heart because Telugu is my mother tongue, and when I sing in the language, my mom feels really happy.

Armaan Malik