Chiranjeevi Opts Out of Euphoria, Saying We’ll Collaborate in Future

Producer-director K Gunasekhar, known for his feel-good entertainers and star-driven films, recently made headlines with Euphoria, a hard-hitting drama starring Sara Arjun, Bhumika Chawla, and Vignesh Gavireddy. While the film initially shocked audiences with its bold premise, critics later felt that deviations in the narrative and the inclusion of unnecessary scenes diluted its core impact. The role of the Police Commissioner in the film was eventually played by filmmaker Gautam Vasudev Menon.

Now, Gunasekhar has revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes detail. According to the director, the role was first offered to Megastar Chiranjeevi. “I narrated the script to Chiranjeevi garu, and he read it multiple times. After about a month, he politely opted out, saying this wasn’t the right time for him to do such a role, though he might consider something similar in the future,” Gunasekhar revealed.

The revelation has come as a surprise to many, considering Chiranjeevi’s long-standing association with Gunasekhar. The duo previously delivered a major hit with Chudalani Undi in the late 1990s. They later reunited for Mrugaraju, in which Chiranjeevi played a lion hunter. Though inspired loosely by the Hollywood film The Ghost and the Darkness, the film failed to connect with audiences and ended up as a box-office disappointment.

Euphoria features music composed by Kaala Bhairava and is produced by Neelima Guna and Yuktha Guna on a grand scale.

Gunasekhar’s past collaborations also include successful outings with Mahesh Babu, beginning with the blockbuster Okkadu, followed by the average grosser Arjun. However, their later film Sainikudu, despite opening well, fizzled out at the box office.