Sukumar

Bandreddi Sukumar
Sukumar promoting 1: Nenokkadine in 2014
Born	Bandreddi Sukumar (1971-01-11) 11 January 1971 (age 54)[1][2] Mattaparru, Andhra Pradesh, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupations	Film director Film producer Screenwriter Professor
Years active	2004–present
Spouse	Thabitha ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	Sukriti Bandreddi, Sukranth Naidu Bandreddi

Bandreddi Sukumar is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who works in Telugu cinema. He is known for his intricate screenplays and for depicting protagonists with grey shades. He is the third highest-grossing Indian film director of all time and is one of the highest-paid directors in Indian cinema.^[3][4]

Before entering the film industry, Sukumar worked as a mathematics and physics lecturer at a junior college in Kakinada for nearly seven years. He began his film career as a writer, working with Editor Mohan, and later assisted V. V. Vinayak on Dil (2003). He made his directorial debut with Arya (2004), which was a major success and earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu and the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer.

Sukumar's other notable films include Arya 2 (2009), 100% Love (2011), 1: Nenokkadine (2014), Nannaku Prematho (2016), Rangasthalam (2018), Pushpa: The Rise (2021), and Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024). Rangasthalam became the third highest-grossing Telugu film at the time, behind the Baahubali films.^[5] Pushpa was the highest-grossing Indian film of 2021, while Pushpa 2 went on to become one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.

In addition to his directorial work, Sukumar has produced films under his banner Sukumar Writings, including Kumari 21F (2015), Uppena (2021), and Virupaksha (2023). In recognition of his contributions to Telugu cinema, he received the K. V. Reddy Memorial Award in 2014.