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'Swayambhu' Director Recalls Crew Stranded on Hill During Forest Shoot

Director Bharat Krishnamachari recalled how a part of his crew got stranded on a mountain during the forest shoot of 'Swayambhu' in Maredumilli, Andhra Pradesh. The same region was used for 'Pushpa' forest sequences, but they explored untouched locations. The film also involved building two massive bridges for indoor sets, including one destroyed during the climax. 'Swayambhu' is produced by Pixel Studios and is slated for a worldwide release in Summer 2026.

Key Points: Swayambhu Director Recalls Crew Stranded in Forest

  • Crew stranded during forest shoot in Maredumilli
  • Film shot in same region as Pushpa
  • Two massive bridges built for indoor sets
  • Film set for Summer 2026 release
2 min read

'Swayambhu' director recollects crew getting stranded on hill during forest sequence shoot

Director Bharat Krishnamachari reveals crew got stranded on a mountain without supplies during 'Swayambhu' forest shoot in Maredumilli, Andhra Pradesh.

"A part of our crew ended up stranded on the mountain without basic supplies for almost a day or two. - Bharat Krishnamachari"

Mumbai, May 8

Director Bharat Krishnamachari, who has helmed the upcoming film 'Swayambhu', has shared the scary details of one of the film's schedules.

The director shared that the live-action sequences of the film were shot in the forests of Maredumilli, near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, where the forest sequences of the Allu Arjun-starrer 'Pushpa' were also filmed.

Talking about the same, he said, "For the live-action portions, we chose to shoot in the forests of Maredumilli, near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, the same region where the forest sequences of Pushpa were filmed. However, we made a conscious effort to explore untouched locations where no shooting had taken place before. Reaching these spots was an adventure in itself. We had to travel by jeeps for nearly 2 to 2.5 hours just to get to the mountain tops".

"During one such schedule, unexpected rains hit us, and a part of our crew ended up stranded on the mountain without basic supplies for almost a day or two. Interestingly, ours was among the first shoots permitted in that pristine location", he added.

Earlier, the director gave a peek into the expansive universe of the film, as he detailed the logistics behind the film, and building 2 massive bridges for the indoor sets of the film.

He earlier said, "For 'Swayambhu', we essentially set out to create three distinct, massive worlds across three different locations, all while keeping them cohesive within the film's rooted, travel-action-adventure tonality. The first was in Janwada, Hyderabad, where we leased about 6 to 8 acres of land and built a full-fledged village set entirely from scratch. This alone took us close to 40 to 45 days, as we were very particular about the detailing and authenticity of the space".

He shared, "The third and most ambitious world was the climax, which we shot over 70 to 80 days at Annapurna Studios. Here, we constructed elaborate indoor sets on a much larger scale, including two massive bridges one of which was specifically built to be destroyed".

"This bridge was about 11 to 12 feet wide and nearly 100 feet long, executed using bluemat techniques. Alongside this, we also created a huge mountain set with a detailed pathway on one of the studio's largest floors, allowing us to stage the climax with the scale and intensity we had envisioned", he added.

Produced by Bhuvan and Shreekar of Pixel Studios, 'Swayambhu' is set for a worldwide release in Summer 2026.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Building two massive bridges, one specifically to be destroyed - that's dedication to world-building! I'm glad they're investing in practical sets instead of relying entirely on CGI. The description of the 100-foot bridge and bluemat techniques sounds fascinating. Can't wait to see how it translates on screen. Summer 2026 seems far, but if it means quality cinema, I'm willing to wait. 🤞
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Rahul R
Interesting behind-the-scenes story, but I'm a bit skeptical. "First shoots permitted in pristine location" sounds nice, but hope they didn't damage the environment while filming. Forest sequences for Pushpa were beautiful, but we also saw the ecological sensitivity issues raised. Good intentions, but proper eco-friendly practices should be mandatory, not an afterthought. Let's see what 'Swayambhu' delivers.
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Vikram M
The scale of this project is mind-blowing! 6-8 acres of village set built from scratch in 45 days, and a 70-80 day climax shoot at Annapurna Studios - that's proper commitment to craft. I remember when Rajamouli used to do similar detailed set work for Baahubali. It's good to see Telugu cinema continuing this tradition of grand practical sets. Allu Arjun's Pushpa location was iconic, hope 'Swayambhu' creates its own magic. 🎬🔥
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Nikhil C
The crew getting stranded for 1-2 days on a mountain without supplies is concerning. I understand the passion for filmmaking, but production teams need to have better contingency plans - especially in remote forests. Weather is unpredictable in the Eastern Ghats, especially near Rajahmundry. Glad everyone was safe, but this should be a learning experience for future shoots. Safety first, cinema second. ⚠️

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