Annapurna grad film ‘Maya’ wins national, global honours
HYDERABAD: MAYA, a graduation film by final-year students of Annapurna College of Film and Media, has earned recognition at several national and international film festivals. The film’s multiple official selections, semi-finalist honors, and awards mark a significant achievement for both the college and the film crew.
Written and directed by Swarna Reka Prabhu, MAYA showcases imagination, creative courage, and collaboration. Speaking about the journey, director Swarna Rekha Prabhu said, “Maya stems from my own dream, which makes my subconscious the writer for this film. This film portrays various emotions like a roller-coaster ride that we all experience in our dreams, which at times makes no sense, but later, when it’s put together, we can decode the encrypted message that our subconscious delivered, which could be a warning for what’s going to come up or a reminder of what happened previously to avoid regrets in the future.”
She further added that “Most of us would have also experienced dreams as a portal to connect with our loved ones who are no more, which makes them special, though they do not have any scientific proof of being a portal to the dead world.”
Commenting on the achievement, Amala Akkineni, Director of Annapurna College of Film and Media, said, “MAYA represents the spirit of learning through practice. It is heartening to see our students push creative boundaries and receive recognition on global platforms. This success reflects their discipline, teamwork, and the importance of providing young filmmakers with the freedom to explore meaningful stories.”
Student film ‘Maya’
MAYA has been officially selected and recognized at several prominent film festivals, including the 44th VGIK International Student Film Festival, Midnight Monster Club Short Film Festival, Flame FirstCut, Kuala Lumpur International Film Awards, Chennai International Short Film Festival, 5th India International Star Film Festival Awards, and The Corner Seats International Film Festival 2025, among others.
The film’s production team included Associate Director Akunapuram Mohit Reddy and Assistant Director Srikanth Bandari, with cinematography by Viswa Tej. Editing was completed by Emanuele Kurian, and sound design and mixing were led by Krishna Vamshi (Kittu). Akunapuram Rohith Reddy served as Production Manager. Production design was managed by Uppar Panduranga, Akunapuram Rohith Reddy, and Srikanth Bandari. Prosthetics were designed by Nishant Narlayya, VFX by Ravi Teja, and the poster by Gayathri Devi B.
