Sailesh Kolanu is a distinguished Indian film director and screenwriter, known for his significant contributions to Telugu cinema. Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Sailesh’s early life was steeped in the world of film, with his father working as a production manager for Pratap Art Productions and the late filmmaker Kodi Ramakrishna. His academic journey took him through a graduation in Optometry from the prestigious LV Prasad Eye Institute, followed by a PhD from the University of New South Wales.

However, his passion for storytelling led him to the film industry, where he began his career with the short film ‘Checklist’ for the IFP’s 50-hour filmmaking challenge. Sailesh Kolanu rose to prominence with his directorial debut ‘HIT: The First Case’, which was produced by actor Nani and became a box-office success. This film marked the beginning of the ‘HIT Universe’, a series of interconnected films within the same narrative world. Following the success of the first film, he directed ‘HIT: The Second Case’, and announced ‘HIT: The Third Case’ during the mid-credits scene of the second film, starring Nani.

His work has been characterized by a unique blend of gripping storytelling and technical finesse, earning him a place among the notable new-age directors in Indian cinema.