Tollywood has achieved global acclaim with landmark films like ‘Baahubali‘, ‘Baahubali 2‘, ‘RRR’, and ‘HanuMan‘, demonstrating its filmmaking prowess on the world stage. Before these successes, however, the Telugu film industry was often underrated by Bollywood circles. In the past, Pan-India films were predominantly a Bollywood domain, but now Telugu directors have begun drawing Bollywood stars with their creative vision, sparking a new wave of interest in collaborations with Tollywood filmmakers. It is reported that some Tollywood directors have already lined up projects featuring Bollywood stars. Who are these directors, and which Bollywood actors are they working with? We will explore these partnerships in this story.
Ranveer – Prasanth Varma
Young director Prasanth Varma rose to stardom overnight with his film ‘HanuMan‘. He has since captured significant interest from Bollywood. Following this, Prasanth has been given the chance to direct a movie featuring Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, with production by Mythri Movie Makers. The upcoming film is described as a period action drama that delves deeply into mythology. Ranveer is expected to portray a character with villainous traits. The movie, rumored to be titled ‘Rakshas’, is gearing up to start shooting soon.
Sunny Deol – Gopichand Malineni
Director Gopichand Malineni, recognized in Tollywood for his innovative action films with novel storylines, as demonstrated by hits like ‘Krack‘ and ‘Veera Simha Reddy‘, has recently landed a significant Bollywood opportunity. This follows the blockbuster success of Sunny Deol in ‘Gadar 2‘. Reports indicate that Gopichand is set to direct an action drama featuring Sunny Deol, staying true to his unique style. The production of this film, which will be handled by Mythri Movie Makers, is rumored to commence in the upcoming months.
Shahid Kapoor – Vamsi Paidipally
Tollywood director Vamsi Paidipally, known for his interest in collaborating with stars from different industries, previously directed ‘Varasudu’ featuring Vijay. For his next project, he has selected Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor. It is reported that Shahid has accepted the role after being impressed with the storyline. The upcoming film will be produced by Goldmines, a company renowned for dubbing and releasing Telugu films in Hindi. Additionally, a leading Telugu production house is also involved in the project. The film is slated to begin production later this year.
Sai Rajesh
Director Sai Rajesh made a significant impact in Tollywood with the release of ‘Baby‘ last July, creating a sensation. The film’s heroine, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, also captured a lot of attention. Producer SKN has announced plans to remake this film in Hindi, which will serve as the debut for a Bollywood star kid. It will be interesting to see how director Sai Rajesh will engage the Bollywood audience with this venture.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga – Ranbir Kapoor
Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for his bold direction in Tollywood, made waves at the box office with ‘Animal‘, casting Bollywood’s heartthrob, Ranbir Kapoor, in an unexpectedly violent role. Plans for a sequel to ‘Animal’ are in the works, with promises to portray Ranbir in an even more intense role under Sandeep’s direction. Currently, Sandeep is immersed in the pre-production of ‘Spirit,’ which stars Prabhas. Following this project, ‘Animal 2’ is slated to begin production.
