14 October 2023
Hyderabad
Talented Telugu actress Eesha Rebba unveiled a unique coffee-table book titled Star Style. Written by Maya Nelluri, published by Venkat Siddareddy of Anvikshiki, and supported by RK at Enowate, this commentary details the on-screen fashion evolution in Telugu cinema. It does so by focusing on its most popular leading ladies starting at Tollywood’s inception in the 1930s and studying the changes over the first 80 years. With rare high-resolution photos and carefully but crisply compiled information, Star Style is a must have for all cinema fanatics.
The book is divided into three sections – the first, Pioneering Years, attempts to decode the nuances of fashion from the very first Telugu cinema until the 1970s. During these years legendary actresses such as Anjali Devi, Bhanumathi and Savitri became the first inimitable stars. The 80s and 90s, aptly titled Transition Times, ushered in a new wave of talent. Some of the most memorable movie moments were made possible due to actresses such as Jayaprada, Jayasudha, and Vijayashanthi who were featured in this section. The last section, Century 21, focuses on actresses like Anushka, Ileana and others who debuted prior to 2012, rounding off the first 80 years of Telugu cinema.
Much care was taken to present the information obtained in a fair and unbiased alphabetical order. Polls were conducted to finalise the actresses included, information was gathered by interviewing those who’ve worked in the cine field, critiqued and/or were audiences of the same. Due to page and other restrictions, many amazing actresses could not be included but we hope to include them in future iterations.
Eesha Rebba, who is popular for films such as Ami Thumi, Awe!, Raagala 24 Ghantallo, and Aravindha Sametha, was kind enough to unveil Star Style. As an actress with a Telugu origin, she was deemed the perfect star to do so. In the exclusive video she spoke of her connection to the book and her interest in the same.
Author Maya Nelluri’s passion for Telugu cinema not only pushed her to bring Star Style to light but was also the reason she moved back to India. Maya has since worked in various aspects within the film world. She is currently making a name for herself as an actress. To date she has acted in Ranarangam, Thimmarusu, Anaganaga (webseries), and is gearing up for the release of her first film as a leading lady – Krishna Ghattam opposite Chaitanya Krishna.
Anvikshiki publishers are well known for bringing a large number of Telugu language books to the world. It is headed by Venkat Siddareddy who is also a renowned producer, writer and director. Lead designer Mahy Bezawada played a pivotal role in the making of Star Style. It is available for purchase via Amazon (https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0CJYBMZ3X).
