Actor Sobhan Babu hadn’t yet achieved stardom in Tollywood, and for him to meet and work with the already established and popular Jayalalithaa, was a dream come true.

“Sobhan Babu was nervous at the prospect of meeting her,” recalls producer Bharadwaja Thammareddy, whose father produced the only film the duo acted in, Doctor Babu. “We introduced Jayalalithaa to Sobhan... and he was thrilled,” he adds.

In his early 20s, Thammareddy was assisting his father. “My brother Lenin directed this film. When we introduced Jayalalithaa and Sobhan Babu, it was a dream come true for him as she was a top actress and when we informed him that she was the lead actress, he was the happiest person,” he says.

It was then that Jayalalithaa and Sobhan Babu got into a relationship. “They got to know each other during our film and would talk on the sets. But she maintained a dignified distance on the sets of the film. No other actress can ever match up to her in terms of dignity, seriousness and her professional behaviour.” says Thammareddy.

“After this, she signed only a few Telugu films, such as Devudu Chesina Manushulu opposite NTR, produced by Krishna,” he says.