Gorgeous Niharika Konidela has cinema in her blood. She hails from a long lineage of successful actors and producers, popularly known as the Mega Family. She took to cinema like a fish to water and is a successful producer and actress. Her ability to curate unique and relatable content has contributed to her rising profile, making her one of the few women producers in the Telugu industry.

She has always been under the limelight and basks in it happily. Be it her television stints, her films as an actor or her career as a producer – she has always been under scrutiny and expectations to deliver the best have always been on a high. Yet, from the time she debuted as a female lead in her first film to turning into a producer with her banner Pink Elephant Pictures she has time and again proved that despite being born with a silver spoon as one of the Mega daughters (Niharika’s father is Nagababu, actor and producer, and brother to Megastar Chiranjeevi and actor, politician Pawan Kalyan. Her brothers and cousins are all established actors including Varun Tej, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun,Sai Dharam Tej; sister Sushmita is a successful producer), she has never felt the need to bow down to pressure, and has chosen her path much deviated from the expected, and followed her heart in life and career.

Niharika has overcome a major setback in her life when she underwent a divorce and the buzz refused to die down. By her own admission, she involved herself in work. “Time to focus on myself.” she had said. She has often said that her family is her strength. While she emotionally takes her strength from family – she confidently takes decisions in her career, and so far that has worked really well.

Be it her Muddapappu Avakai, Nanna Kuchi, Oka Chinna Family Story, Hello World on OTT – or the latest success as a producer with her first feature film Committee Kurrollu, a comedy drama set in rural background that comments on sensitive issues like caste politics with finesse – Niharika is stepping up with each project. And, one cannot but see the eye for relatable content that she has. “It’s the characters that I see, that I relate to, which entertain me and if I find them, then I will do the film immediately. It’s the entertainment that I’m receiving from the narration, and the script and conviction of the director.”

That done she refers to the wide circle of friends she has and family and picks on their experiences. For Committee Kurrollu it was her father she had turned to when she needed an additional point of view.

As a producer, Niharika prides herself in being deeply invested in her projects. “I’m a very careful producer. I’m someone who’s invested creatively,” she stated, ensuring that she understands every aspect of her productions. She respects her directors and writers, maintaining a collaborative environment while remaining hands-on in the creative process.

She also has at least two projects of hers as an actor, in the making – Madarasakaaran and What the Fish. The former is a comedy thriller with Malayalam actor Shane Nigam playing the lead. She will also be seen in Manchu Manoj’s What the Fish as Astalakshmi aka Ash – it is a performance oriented role the makers claim in a poster that they released on her birthday.

Even as she continues to wait for more filmmakers to offer her roles that appeal to the passionate actor in her – Niharika Konidela under her banner Pink Elephant Films is proving with each of her productions that she understands the pulse of the audience.

Her keen understanding of storytelling is also evident in her series for SonyLIV – Bench Life, which she describes as a series made with,”A lot of hard work, but also a lot of love and passion.”

“This is possible because I have a huge group of friends that are very different from each other. I know a lot of people that come from different walks of life. And I try to look at the story from their perspective. I try to see if they are going to relate to it or not.”

About Bench Life she says she is happy with the young team she worked with including Charan Peri who became popular with ‘Mad’. “It’s a show that came out very well. I think that is great. I feel blessed to be working with talented actors like Rajendra Prasad and Tanikella Bharani as well.”

Bench Life has a woman director and Niharika herself is one of the very few women in her line. And, has strong views on women in the industry.

She has often said she welcomes movements that empower women voices, stating, “I think it gives courage to open and speak out.” Her commitment to safety and inclusivity within the film industry positions her as not just a producer, but also a role model for aspiring women in the field.

As Niharika continues to delve into new creative avenues, her journey reflects a blend of passion, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity, making her a formidable force in the Indian entertainment landscape.