The unusual combination of Telugu heroes and non-Telugu filmmakers

A low-down on the Telugu actors who are breaking the routine by joining hands with directors from other industries.

ByPrakash Pecheti

Published Nov 09, 2023 | 10:00 AMUpdatedNov 09, 2023 | 10:00 AM

Telugu heroes working with non-Telugu filmmakers

What’s attracting filmmakers from regions outside Telugu to bet big on heroes in Tollywood?

Well, Telugu films have certainly blurred the lines of regional cinema. A film that couldn’t match the sensibilities of one region might end up making a fairly good revenue at another box office. And, that’s where Telugu heroes are enjoying unassailable fame.

The canvas can only get bigger with every Telugu movie aiming at taking a pan-India form.

Here are a few Telugu heroes who broke the routine by joining hands with filmmakers from other industries:

Prabhas

First on the list is Rebel Star Prabhas.

After shifting his base from Hyderabad to Mumbai, Prabhas is right on the money signing various projects and interacting with Bollywood filmmakers.

Salaar, of course, has kept audiences waiting.

His other biggest collaboration is with Tamil filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj. It is going to be a stand-alone project.

The collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj has generated immense expectations from Prabhas fans.

Also Read: What made Prabhas the ‘Darling’ of Telugu cinema?

Jr NTR

RRR has changed Jr NTR’s charisma in Indian cinema. The scale of projects that he has in the lineup is massive.

Apart from Devara, being helmed by director Koratala Siva, Jr NTR will soon join the sets of War 2.

He has teamed up with Bollywood director Ayan Mukerji, who directed films like Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (2013) and Brahmastra: Part One-Shiva (2022).

Kiara Advani shares the screenspace with Jr NTR in War 2.

The movie is currently in the pre-production stage and it is the sequel to the first part with the same name — War (2019). It is produced by Yash Raj Films.

Jr NTR has another action thriller in the pipeline with KGF director Prashanth Neel. The project will go on floors only in April 2024. It will be produced by Mythri Movie Makers.

Also Read: Jr NTR joins the Actor’s Branch of The Academy

Varun Tej

The newly-wed Varun Tej will soon embark on the promotional activity of his upcoming movie Operation Valentine.

After showing a variety of performances in films like Kanche (2015), Fidaa (2017), and F3 (2022), Varun Tej has experimented with non-Telugu-speaking filmmaker Shakti Pratap Singh.

Operation Valentine runs on a patriotic theme and claims to be an edge-of-the-seat entertainer. It showcases the challenges faced by the Air Force heroes on the front lines.

The film is ready to arrive in theatres on 8 December. Manushi Chillar is the love interest of Varun Tej.

Also Read: A season of mega disasters: Mega family in deep self-contemplation?

Ram Charan

Ram Charan’s Game Changer which is being directed by Shankar, serves as a fillip to the RRR (2022) actor to broaden his image.

This pan-Indian film is a Telugu political-action thriller starring Ram Charan in the lead, while Kiara Advani plays his love interest.

Anjali, Samuthirakani, SJ Surya, Srikanth, and Sunil play key roles in the movie.

It is mounted on a whopping budget of ₹450 crore by Dil Raju under the Sri Venkateswara Creations banner.

Also Read: Ram Charan announces his latest production — ‘The India House’

Nani

Natural Star Nani‘s image is known all over the South because of filmography. He has an upcoming Hi Nanna hitting the theatres in December.

Breaking the routine mould, Nani is doing a film with Tamil director Cibi Chakravarthy who is known for Don (2022) starring Sivakarthikeyan.

Don’s commercial success in different languages catapulted Cibi to instant fame.

Now, he chose Nani to tell a story, touted to be a Telugu-Tamil bilingual with a mixture of action and comedy elements.

Also Read: Nani’s ‘Saripodhaa Sanivaaram’ remake of a Korean drama?