Nandamuri Balakrishna reportedly charged close to Rs 45 crore for “Akhanda 2,” while Megastar Chiranjeevi received around Rs 70 crore for his upcoming film “Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu.” However, such hefty remunerations may not continue going forward, as producers are now reworking budgets for senior stars.
Following the underperformance of “Akhanda 2,” director Gopichand Malineni has reconsidered his next project with Balakrishna. He had initially planned a high-budget period film, which was recently launched. But after reassessing Balakrishna’s current market, Gopichand decided to shelve that subject and is now developing a fresh story that can be made on a much tighter budget.
Budget constraints played a key role in this change.
A similar scenario for Chiranjeevi – Bobby film
A similar situation is unfolding in Chiranjeevi’s camp. He has teamed up with director Bobby for a new film, but the shrinking OTT market has forced a rethink. “Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu” reportedly fetched a lower-than-expected price for its OTT rights, prompting concerns over mounting costs. As a result, Bobby is said to be making changes to the script and scaling down the overall budget.
This shift reflects a growing realism in the industry. Filmmakers and stars aligning projects with current market dynamics, rather than chasing inflated expectations, is a healthy and necessary correction for Telugu cinema.
