Rana Daggubati: A Story To Invest In The man has a hand behind businesses in VFX, Hot beverages and more recently a tequila brand followed by a new experiential store. Hailing from a family that has backed the world of South cinema by successfully producing 170 films in 13 Indian languages, Bahubali Actor Rana Daggubati furthers his legacy with Box Office Laurels and serial investments in the latest and most exciting businesses across sectors.
By Kavya Pillai
Key Takeaways
- Investments and co- founder of -
- Loka Loca tequila
- VS Mani and Co
- Suresh Productions
- Broadway (partner)
- Gamezop
- Iknoz
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If you have ever heard the Bahubali actor start a conversation about any of his investments, partnerships or business plans you will catch him saying "I am a storyteller." "A story can become a film. It can become a product. It can become anything that one wants to consume. So that's the world I'm sitting in and making sure the ethic of what we do is right and clear. I think cinema is that one blanket that goes across. It doesn't matter what kind of household income you come from. Doesn't matter where your culture is. A story will cut across," said Daggubati. These words couldn't be truer when you look at the diverse work the actor presents both on and off screen. Speaking to him, one is infatuated by his quest to present new concepts and truly invest in its development.
Daggubati in one of our earlier conversations shared "Since you're the BIZ Experiences's magazine so we can speak this. I come from a slightly old-school ethics of business. We're not BIZ Experiencess that are serial and sell things out very quickly. Instead, we work towards building a legacy, we like to build scale, and we like to see this through really as a global brand. I'm close to 40 years old but I'm now running companies that are over 60 or 70 years old. So I think. I think legacy means a lot to us. The fact that we can leave a mark and create a sense of community with the brand I think is something very unique."
The actor's business interests are diverse and include early investments in VS Mani and Co, a coffee brand that gained recognition on Shark Tank India, and Pulp, a skincare startup. He has also invested in Gamezop, a game development studio. His interest in cutting-edge technology led him to co-found Iknoz with Abinav Varma, venturing into the Metaverse.
In addition, His family business Suresh Productions, established in 1964, has produced some 170 films in 13 Indian languages, operates a film distribution company with 400+ theaters, has three studio spaces in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam and a film school in Hyderabad. In 2018, he partnered with Anthill Ventures, focusing on Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning applications within media and entertainment.
Moreover, Daggubati's portfolio extends to sports and culture, with stakes in Hyderabad FC, a club in the Indian Super League, and Amar Chitra Katha, a renowned comic producer in India. His multifaceted investments reflect a strategic approach to business, leveraging his experience and insights to foster growth in various industries. Two of his most recent business ventures have been first, a Tequila brand called Loka Loca which he has launched with two co-founders singer Anirudh Ravichander and Harsha Vadlamudi. Second, an experiential store called Broadway with Vivek Biyani, Anuj Kejriwal of Anarock and Apurva Salarpuria of Salarpuria Group.
