Nagarjuna’s Shiva, directed by Ram Gopal Varma and produced by Annapurna Studios, revolutionized Telugu cinema with its gritty realism and groundbreaking action sequences never seen before on the big screen. The film not only smashed box office records but also won widespread critical acclaim, earning a spot in CNN-IBN’s list of the top 100 films of all time.
Now, as part of Annapurna Studios’ 50th-anniversary celebrations, Shiva is making a grand return to theatres. For the first time ever, its sound has been completely transformed from the original mono mix to Dolby Atmos using cutting-edge AI engineering. The re-release teaser is attached to Coolie, hitting screens on August 14, giving audiences a taste of Shiva’s new Dolby Atmos sound paired with stunning 4K visuals.
Reflecting on the historic re-release, Akkineni Nagarjuna said, “Shiva gave me an iconic hero status, making my character unforgettable. The fact that it’s still one of the most discussed films even today motivated my brother Venkat Akkineni and me to re-release it in the grandest way possible. We felt it was our responsibility to give back to the audience who made it a cult classic, and to introduce it to a new generation who may have only watched it on YouTube. Together with RGV and Venkat, we decided to bring it back with an unmatched Dolby Atmos sound experience and 4K visuals.”
Director Ram Gopal Varma said, “It was Nagarjuna’s and the producers’ faith in me that took the film to such heights. I’m amazed that even today, people remember every scene and character. Annapurna Studios’ decision to re-release the film excites me immensely. While the original sound was praised, we chose to completely redo it to meet today’s standards. Using advanced AI technology, we converted the mono mix into Dolby Atmos. People may have seen Shiva before, but this time, they’ll experience it in a way they never have, with its brand-new, immersive sound.”
The cult classic will be re-released soon in Telugu, followed by Hindi and Tamil shortly after that. Amala, Raghuvaran, Tanikella Bharani, Jithendra, Murali Mohan, Viswanath, and Kota Srinivasa Rao played key roles. Ilaiyaraaja composed the tunes.