Telugu Stars Keep The Multi-Starrer Flames Alive

Leading Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar recently lamented the sharp decline of multi-starrers in Hindi cinema, noting that such ensemble films once brought unmatched magic to theatres — a spark he believes today’s audiences still long for. Echoing that sentiment, producer Lagadapati Sridhar says: “Manmohan Desai made ensemble films that defined an era. Even recent two-hero films like War 2 couldn’t revive that charm — mostly because of weak writing and star insecurities.”

In contrast, Telugu cinema has consistently celebrated multi-starrers across generations. Waltair Veerayya saw Chiranjeevi and Ravi Teja sharing the screen — a nostalgic, energetic collaboration that thrilled fans and stormed the box office. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s Bollywood or Tollywood — audiences love genuine emotions,” says writer Kona Venkat, who penned the film. “We treated the bond between the two leads in a fresh, layered way — even adding a ‘vertigo’ element to Chiranjeevi’s character to deepen his vulnerability.”

Sridhar points out that this culture dates back to the 1950s, when NTR, ANR, Krishna, and Sobhan Babu often shared screens. “Despite fan rivalries over billing or screen time, they delivered timeless classics like Gundamma Katha and Maya Bazaar,” he recalls. “Their professionalism set an example — that big stars could collaborate without ego.”

The phenomenon reached a global high with Jr NTR and Ram Charan uniting for RRR. Director SS Rajamouli’s deft balance of friendship and conflict, along with the Oscar-winning Naatu Naatu, redefined the template for modern multi-starrers. “It proved that two powerful stars can shine equally in one story — that’s the new benchmark,” says Sridhar.

Senior heroes continue to drive the trend. Nagarjuna teamed up with Rajinikanth in Coolie, while Venkatesh remains the industry’s go-to co-star — sharing the screen with Mahesh Babu in Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu, Pawan Kalyan in Gopala Gopala, and soon with Chiranjeevi in Mana Sankara Vara Prasad Garu. Even Prabhas, despite his pan-India superstardom, made a special divine appearance in Kannappa

A leading director, however, offers a realistic view. “With top stars now charging `75–150 crore per film, multi-starrers often balloon to `200–400 crore budgets,” he says. “Unless stars agree to rationalise fees or limit shooting schedules, such projects remain risky. The economics must balance the egos.”

Taking a more gaurded view, a producer said: “With stars like Prabhas, Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu, Ram Charan, and Jr NTR focused on expanding their individual fan bases across India, it’s difficult for them to share screen space with their peers. Of course, directors like Rajamouli could pull it off, as stars trust him. Unless an exceptionally exciting story with the right budget comes along, these actors are content with solo-hero projects.” He added that even in Kollywood, only veterans like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are taking up multi-starrers like Jailer and Vikram, while Vijay and Ajith Kumar prefer solo outings.