A friend in need is a friend indeed, they say. For SS Rajamouli and Shekhar Kammula, who are passionate filmmakers, there can be no better friend than the one who dissects their film and points out the highs and lows.

Who is that best friend in Rajamouli’s friend is anybody's guess. It is without doubt Sai Korrapati. As Rajamouli has always held, it was 'Bellary' Sai who helped him make films for the family audience. It was Sai who first instinctively grasped the emotions inherent in the storyline of Eega and prodded Rajamouli to make it into a feature film. In fact, Rajamouli never had friends as a child. Sai remains the first and best friend.

For Kammula, it is Hari Krishna, who was his St. Patrick's classmate. Hari has been a pillar of strength in the life of Tollywood's finest director. "Hari encouraged me to make Dollar Dreams. When we took the film to U.S., we were waiting for the audience to come out to know how they liked the film. It was then when Hari told me, 'You should not wait for the audience. They should wait for your film. You should use your talent to make commercial cinema.' His advice gave me so much strength. He is one friend who understands me. He watches my films like critically", Kammula says.