Balakrishna-Gopichand Malineni Go Back to the Drawing Board

Nandamuri Balakrishna has reportedly set a precedent by giving his nod to a new script with a comparatively low budget, narrated by director Gopichand Malineni. It will be the star’s 111th project.

Earlier, the duo had planned a warrior-based folklore drama, estimated to cost over Rs 180 crore. However, after Akhanda 2 failed to make a strong impact on the pan-India audience, they decided to rethink their approach. “Gopichand sat down with his team of writers and came up with an action film that presents Balakrishna in a darker, intense role, perfectly suiting his mass image. The script was approved unanimously and will be made on a budget below Rs 130 crore,” says a source.

With the budgets of Telugu films soaring, only a handful of stars are willing to readjust and cut down costs to make projects viable for producers. Currently, many star-driven films are overshooting their budgets, while recoveries have declined. OTT deals have reportedly seen a 30 percent cut, and revenues from Hindi dubbing and other non-theatrical rights remain unpredictable, often leading to losses for producers.

“An ideal Telugu film should primarily connect with the theatrical audience in Telugu states and recover a major portion of its investment from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Anything beyond that should be treated as a bonus. Changing times demand changing strategies,” the source asserts. Balakrishna and Gopichand Malineni had earlier delivered the box office hit Veera Simha Reddy, and are aiming to recreate the magic with a budget-friendly script.