Suspense continues over Anil Ravipudi’s next movie… hopes pinned on Balayya!

With back-to-back blockbusters, director Anil Ravipudi is reportedly planning his next Sankranti release and may reunite with Nandamuri Balakrishna. Delays with other stars have strengthened buzz around this successful, award-winning combo returning to the big screen.

There is strong buzz in the industry that successful director Anil Ravipudi, who is riding high on back-to-back hits, is once again leaning towards Nandamuri Balakrishna for his next film. After delivering a blockbuster with Megastar Chiranjeevi in Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu, Anil has now shifted his focus to his next project. With the film planned with Venkatesh getting delayed, speculation about a reunion with Balayya has intensified.

In Tollywood, Anil Ravipudi has carved out a distinct brand for himself with consecutive successes and is currently enjoying the peak phase of his career. This Sankranti, his family entertainer Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu, starring Chiranjeevi, turned out to be another blockbuster. The film has been creating new records day after day at the box office and has struck a chord equally with mass as well as family audiences. Trade circles believe this success has once again given a strong boost to Chiranjeevi’s market. With this win, Anil Ravipudi has become one of the hottest topics in the industry.

Anil Ravipudi–Balakrishna combo likely again

During a recent interview as part of the film’s promotions, Anil Ravipudi made interesting comments about his previous films, especially Bhagavanth Kesari. He said his goal was to make an unexpected kind of film with Balakrishna, and Bhagavanth Kesari was one of the scripts he worked very hard on in that direction. However, he felt the film deserved an even bigger hit status.

Anil noted that during the film’s release, political circumstances led to some disappointment among Balayya’s fans. Still, the general audience supported the film and made it a hit. He added that had the situation been more favorable, the reception would have been even stronger.

Released on October 19, 2023, Bhagavanth Kesari, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna and directed by Anil Ravipudi, achieved solid commercial success. Notably, it also won the Best Film award at the 71st National Film Awards, a rare feat for a commercial entertainer. Reaching national award status alongside box-office success marked a major milestone in Anil Ravipudi’s career.

What’s next?

According to film circles, Anil Ravipudi is targeting next year’s Sankranti as well. However, discussions are ongoing about which hero will headline the project. Chiranjeevi has already wrapped up Vishwambhara promotions and is set to join director Srikanth Odela’s set, followed by a film with Bobby Kolli. On the other hand, Venkatesh is busy shooting for Adarsha Kutumbam under Trivikram, which is likely to release by the end of May—making a Sankranti release with Anil Ravipudi difficult.

In this scenario, Nandamuri Balakrishna is said to be the most readily available hero for Anil Ravipudi. Although Balayya was supposed to do a film with director Gopichand Malineni, budget constraints and changes in the story have delayed that project from going on floors. At the same time, there is talk that Anil already has a story perfectly suited for Balakrishna.

If everything falls into place, industry insiders say another Balakrishna–Anil Ravipudi film could be announced soon. Given that their previous collaboration Bhagavanth Kesari delivered both a blockbuster and a National Award, fans strongly believe that a repeat of this combo would once again create a major sensation at the box office.