Blockbuster Remake: Not Charan, It’s Vijay Deverakonda?

The success of Hanuman Ansh has once again shown the growing pull of devotional cinema. Interestingly, Gujarati cinema saw a similar surprise last year with Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate.

The film opened with almost no buzz and struggled for two weeks. Strong word of mouth then changed its fortunes. Laalo eventually became the biggest Gujarati hit ever, grossing over Rs. 100 crores despite having no big star and a very limited budget.

The film is now reportedly heading for a Telugu remake, with interesting casting speculation. Earlier reports suggested Ram Charan was being considered. However, Bollywood Hungama reports that Ram Charan is not part of the project and that Vijay Deverakonda has been approached to play Lord Krishna.

Dil Raju has reportedly acquired the remake rights and is expected to produce the Telugu version. None of these details have been officially confirmed yet.

Laalo follows an auto-rickshaw driver who enters a secluded mansion to steal valuables but gets trapped inside. He receives help from a mysterious man, who is later revealed to be Lord Krishna. The story, music, and performances connected strongly with audiences. Its end-credit song also became a theatre sensation.

Vijay Deverakonda as Lord Krishna makes the Telugu remake particularly interesting. He already did a fine job as Arjun in Kalki 2898 AD. Pawan Kalyan previously played Lord Krishna in Gopala Gopala, but his portrayal wasn’t very convincing.

Vijay Deverakonda could bring a completely different approach. If handled with conviction and the screenplay is executed well, the role could earn him a huge amount of goodwill. However, the choice of director for the Telugu remake will matter a lot. For now, all reports remain just speculations, and an official announcement is awaited.