{{Short description|Indian film director}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Deva Katta | image = Deva Katta at IFFI-2010, in Panjim, Goa on November 27, 2010 (cropped).jpg | caption = Katta at IFFI (2010) | birth_date = May 24<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sai Dharam Tej wishes director Deva Katta on his birthday|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/sai-dharam-tej-wishes-director-deva-katta-on-his-birthday/articleshow/82910094.cms|date=24 May 2021|access-date=1 September 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> | occupation = {{hlist|Film director|producer|screenwriter}} | alma_mater = Wayne State University | birth_place = Eluru, Andhra Pradesh | years_active = 1999{{endash}}present }}
'''Deva Katta''' is an Indian American film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. He directed movies such as ''Vennela'' (2005), ''Prasthanam'' (2010), ''Autonagar Surya'' (2014), and ''Republic'' (2021). In 2010, ''Prasthanam'' was showcased in the Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India.<ref>{{cite web|author=Suresh Krishnamoorthy |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/article841819.ece |title=NATIONAL / ANDHRA PRADESH : 'Prasthanam' gets a place in Indian Panorama |work=The Hindu |date=2010-10-22 |access-date=2012-08-04}}</ref> The film also won two Filmfare awards including Filmfare South Critics Award for Best Film and Nandi Award for Best Feature Film in 2010.<ref name="hindu.com">{{cite web|last=Krishnamoorthy|first=Suresh|date=22 October 2010|title='Prasthanam' gets a place in Indian Panorama|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/lsquoPrasthanam-gets-a-place-in-Indian-Panorama/article15787916.ece|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901075915/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/lsquoPrasthanam-gets-a-place-in-Indian-Panorama/article15787916.ece|archive-date=1 September 2021|access-date=1 September 2021|work=The Hindu}}</ref>
[[File:The Director of DFF, Shri Bhupendra Khaintola felicitated the Director, Shri Deva Katta, at the presentation of the film (Prasthanam), in the INOX Cinema Hall, during the IFFI-2010, in Panjim, Goa on November 27, 2010.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Deva Katta (right), being felicitated at IFFI (2016)]]
==Early life== Deva Katta was born in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. His father, Niranjan Naidu Katta, hails from Kadapa, while his mother hails from Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh. He moved to Chennai in 1985.<ref name="I"/> He holds a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=TelanganaToday|title=Deva Katta is game for experimental cinema|url=https://telanganatoday.com/deva-katta-is-game-for-experimental-cinema|access-date=2020-12-09|website=Telangana Today|language=en-US}}</ref> He worked as a vehicle crashworthiness expert at General Motors. He is a naturalized American citizen.<ref name="hindu.com" />
==Career== He graduated from film school before making a television serial about Indian students in the United States shot from 1999 to 2000 titled ''Valasa''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/functions/prasthanam-indianpanorama.html|title=A Guerrilla’s Prasthanam into Panorama|work=Idlebrain.com|date=30 November 2010|location=Hyderabad|access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> He shorten the serial into a film in 2003; however, it was not released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/andhra-pradesh/nag-ashwin-tharun-bhascker-7-telugu-directors-who-studied-abroad-140276|title=Nag Ashwin to Tharun Bhascker, 7 Telugu directors who studied abroad|date=25 November 2020|work=The News Minute|first=Rajeswari|last=Parasa|access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> He then made his feature film debut with the romantic comedy flick ''Vennela'' on the same topic while additionally including a love story.<ref name="I">{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/celeb/interview/devakatta.html|title=Deva Katta interview - Telugu Cinema interview - Telugu film director|website=www.idlebrain.com}}</ref>
In 2015, Katta teamed up with actor Vishnu Manchu for the film ''Dynamite'', a remake of the Tamil film ''Arima Nambi'' (2014), and Katta's only remake till date. Katta, however, said that he shot the film for only nine days and walked out due to creative differences.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-29|title=Deva Katta: The director who told everything that happened behind that movie! » Jsnewstimes|url=https://jsnewstimes.com/tollywood/deva-katta-the-director-who-told-everything-that-happened-behind-that-movie|url-status=live|website=Jsnewstimes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112170427/https://jsnewstimes.com/tollywood/deva-katta-the-director-who-told-everything-that-happened-behind-that-movie%E2%80%8C |archive-date=12 January 2022 }}</ref> Katta was credited as the film's director nonetheless.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-04|title=Dynamite Movie Review|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/dynamite/movie-review/48812355.cms|url-status=live|website=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907225703/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com:80/entertainment/telugu/movie-reviews/Dynamite/movie-review/48812355.cms |archive-date=7 September 2015 }}</ref>
In one of his interviews, he mentioned that ''Prasthanam'', ''Autonagar Surya'', and ''Republic'' are part of his quadrilogy of the society which show the perspective of a Politician (Legislative), Common Man (Voter), and Bureaucrat (Executive) on society. He is currently working on the final part of the quadrilogy which will show the perspective of a Judicial (Judiciary) on society.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfrPoOGnwyk | title=Director Deva katta Sensational Interview | Republic Movie | Box Office #3 | Sai Dharam Tej | FT | website=YouTube | date=2 December 2021 }}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Feature films=== {{Pending films key}} *''Note: all films are in Telugu, unless otherwise noted.'' ;As director {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Films as a director ! Year ! Title ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 2005 || ''Vennela'' || Credited as Deva Kaushik Katta || |- | 2010 || ''Prasthanam '' || International Film Festival of India<br>Nandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze)<br>Filmfare Critics Award for Best Telugu Film | |- | 2014 || ''Autonagar Surya'' || | |- | 2019 || ''Prassthanam'' || Hindi remake of ''Prasthanam''|| |- | 2021 ||''Republic'' || || <ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-24|title=Sai Dharam Tej And Deva Katta Film To Start Shoot In October|url=https://english.sakshi.com/news/tollywood/sai-dharam-tej-and-deva-katta-film-start-shoot-october-124589|access-date=2020-12-09|website=Sakshi Post|language=en}}</ref> |- | 2027 || ''Varanasi'' || Dialogue Writer: In Production || |- | 2028 || Untitled Film with Nani || Writer/Director: In Scripting || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telugu360.com/did-nani-give-his-nod-for-one-more-director/ }}</ref> |- |}
;As writer and producer {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Films as a writer and producer ! Year ! Title ! Writer ! Producer ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | 2026 || Hitmen Prod No.1 || {{No}} || {{partial|Creative}} || <ref>{{Cite web|date=2025-11-18|title=Casting Call|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRLpkifEvrx/}}</ref> || |- | 2027 || {{Pending film|Varanasi}} || {{partial|Dialogues}} || {{No}} | | |- |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable" |+List of web series directed and written !Year !Title !Streaming Service !class="unsortable"|Notes |- | 2025 || ''Mayasabha'': Rise of the titans || SonyLIV || |- |- |}
=== Short films === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+List of short films directed and written by Katta ! Year ! Title ! Language !Notes ! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | || ''The People Mover'' || English |Released in film festivals; also actor|| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idlebrain.com/news/functions/prasthanam-indianpanorama.html|title=Prasthanam at Indian Panorama - Telugu cinema|website=www.idlebrain.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://teluguswag.com/police-kalpula-nundi-thappinchukunna-director-deva-katta/|title=police kalpula nundi thappinchukunna director deva katta!|work=Telugu Swag|first=Vijay|last=Kalyan|language=te|access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref> |- | 2015 || ''Dying to Be Me'' || English | || |- |}
===Acting roles=== * ''D for Dopidi'' (2013) as A.C.P. Krishnamachari
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name| id=2559488 | name=Deva Katta}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katta, Deva}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Wayne State University alumni Category:Indian emigrants to the United States Category:American people of Telugu descent Category:Telugu film directors Category:American film directors of Indian descent Category:Film directors from Andhra Pradesh Category:Screenwriters from Andhra Pradesh Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:Telugu screenwriters