Director Harish Shankar had a strong reputation as a filmmaker who understands the mass audience pulse. His blockbuster film Gabbar Singh established him as a director capable of delivering commercial hits. Being a skilled writer himself, Harish Shankar effectively uses sharp one-liners and powerful character elevations to connect with audiences.
Over the years, he has worked with several top stars, including Pawan Kalyan, Jr. NTR, Ravi Teja, and Allu Arjun. However, one of his long-standing ambitions is to direct megastar Chiranjeevi and Bollywood Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan. He has already collaborated with Chiranjeevi for an advertisement, but he now aims to direct a full-length feature film with him.
Harish Shankar believes that his upcoming film Ustaad Bhagat Singh, which is set to release on March 19, could open that door. He expressed confidence that if the film becomes a hit, he may receive a call from Chiranjeevi to work together on a project.
Speaking about his dream, Harish Shankar said he wants to make a full-fledged mass entertainer with Chiranjeevi, similar in spirit to classics like Gang Leader and Gharana Mogudu. At the same time, Harish Shankar is also planning another major project with Nandamuri Balakrishna.
However, all these plans will move forward only if Ustaad Bhagat Singh succeeds at the box office. Harish Shankar’s recent track record has not been good. Especially his last film Mr. Bachchan completely destroyed his credibility as a sensible director. The film was a total misfire and became troll material. But there is still hope that Harish Shankar might have learned from his past mistakes and has come up with a solid entertainer in Ustaad Bhagat Singh.
If Ustaad Bhagat Singh becomes successful, he could go on to make films with both Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna. Otherwise, it would be an extremely tough road ahead for him as a director. He might have to start from scratch if the film does not perform well. We hope that Harish Shankar is back in form with this film. For now, all eyes remain on the film’s release, public response, and its box office collections in the coming days.
