Chiranjeevi’s Rush: A Flawed 4-Film Strategy

Megastar Chiranjeevi turned 70 and his birthday celebrations stood out with multiple film announcements. Anil Ravipudi unveiled the title glimpse of Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu, while three more directors joined the occasion to make some buzz.

Looking at the bigger picture, Chiranjeevi has already locked his calendar for the next three years. His lineup includes Anil Ravipudi’s Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu which is targeting Sankranti 2026, Bimbisara director Vasishta’s Vishwambhara which faced severe trolling due to the VFX issues and is now aiming for summer 2026, Bobby Kolli’s project after Waltair Veerayya, and Srikanth Odela’s project while he works on Nani’s The Paradise.

Among these, Anil Ravipudi’s film is currently shooting and Vasishta’s Vishwambhara is almost complete. But it raises the question of whether finalising two more projects in so much advance, while two are already aiming for release next year, is really the right move? While this ensures clarity for the next few years, it also creates doubts about locking himself into commitments for such a long time. He is not a newcomer to rush and make hay while the sun shines.

The film industry and the Telugu theatre market continue to change rapidly, and no one can predict which stories will connect with audiences in the coming years. By locking four projects at once, Chiranjeevi may miss the chance to explore fresh and innovative scripts, which has been the biggest criticism he has faced since his comeback to movies. Also, all audiences know what to expect from directors like Anil Ravipudi, Vasishta, and Bobby. There is some curiosity about young director Srikanth Odela, but this approach may also kill the surprise factor.

At 70, fans would expect Chiranjeevi to focus on quality scripts and do films one at a time. Instead, the rush to confirm multiple projects sparks debate on whether this strategy is suitable for a senior star at this stage in his career.