Entertainment desk
October 01, 2026 / 11:42 IST
Varahi Mallipamula
Varahi Mallipamula is debuting in the Telugu film industry as a producer, actor and writer with Impure, an independent film that has a deeply personal story behind its making. The film was partially financed with money her mother had originally saved for a family wedding.
Varahi said her mother had been watching her chase her filmmaking dreams for years while working multiple jobs and creative projects. Her mother, who had spent quite a lot on her other daughter’s wedding, gave the balance savings to Varahi to invest in a film.
“I took the offer, but that money wasn’t enough to make a full movie. “We borrowed a lot more, and I flew from New York to hire the cast and crew,” said Varahi.
Varahi was born in Kakinada, raised in Pennsylvania and currently resides in New York. She has a double major in Engineering and Journalism from Penn State and has worked in the technology industry in New York, Los Angeles and London. She had professional obligations, but kept writing and pursuing filmmaking, often working on scripts at nite and on weekends.
Her first script for Impure was written almost six years ago and pitched to several producers. The film is about a woman, whose wedding gets called off when her prospective in-laws find out that she is not a virgin.
The subject also posed problems for Varahi in getting financial backing, especially since women-centric films can be hard to pitch in the commercial market.” Finally, she decided to make the film herself and cast Telugu actor Yasha Muthuluri in the lead role.
According to Varahi, it was the work of Samantha and filmmaker Nandini Reddy that really gave her the confidence to take the project forward.
“My faith in cinema has been very strong from a very young age. But it’s not easy to make producers take up a women-centric film. I wrote the first draft, and I pitched it for years. Finally Samantha and Nandini Reddy broke those notions and proved that a woman-centric film can be celebrated worldwide. “They inspired me to self-distribute Impure in theaters,” she said.
Varahi also enlisted several new collaborators for the project. She took a gamble on Nishanthi Evani, who acted in LBW and worked on Nandini Reddy’s Maa Inti Bangaram, and is now making her directorial debut.
The film’s music is composed by Grammy-nominated artists, Raja Kumari and Karan Pandav. Speaking about the songs Varahi said, she hopes the hook step of the track “OMG” becomes a hit among the audiences.
Cinematographer Gnanasekhar VS has shot native Telugu locations with an artistic approach, which Varahi feels has tremendously increased the visual scale and production value of the independent film.
“We hope Impure will be an alternative to the usual action-oriented cinema for audiences,” says Varahi.
“I would ask people to watch our indie film as it gives them a change from all the bloodshed films of one man killing dozens. Our film offers a new look at the problems of women and men. Sai Krishna did a brilliant job as a budding actor and I am sure people who watch Impure will love it,” she said.
Impure had its world premiere at the iconic TCL Chinese Theater in Los Angeles and its East Coast premiere at Cinema Village in New York. The film was made by first-time filmmakers, but it is said to have surprised audiences with the scale and quality of production.
It will open in limited theaters across India on October 2.
Now, Varahi hopes Impure will be embraced by Indian audiences and the independent film will be given the same warmth she believes audiences have given to films like Maa Inti Bangaram.
Entertainment desk Entertainment Desk at Moneycontrol reports on the celebrities, movies that shape India’s entertainment industry. With a sharp focus on cinema, OTT, web series, and latest trends, the entertainment desk delivers verified news, and analytical stories that place entertainment within a wider economic and cultural context. Our coverage goes beyond celebrity to examine how storytelling, audiences and business decisions influence one of the country’s most influential creative industries.
first published: Oct 1, 2026 11:42 am
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