Once upon a time, tickets for Megastar Chiranjeevi’s films were sold on the black market during their opening week, reflecting his immense popularity. Even his less successful films were guaranteed to achieve minimum revenue. Chiranjeevi built his mega empire with his talent alone, without any prominent godfathers in the industry. Today, his family members are making significant impacts in the film industry, and Chiranjeevi remains a top star, following his stint with 150 films and returning to a regular film schedule.
“Vishwambhara” Generates Buzz
Chiranjeevi’s recent films, such as Sye Raa, Acharya, and Bholaa Shankar, didn’t make a big impact, but his previous release, Waltair Veerayya, was a major success, grossing over ₹100 crore. His latest venture, Vishwambhara, directed by Vashistha Mallidi, is generating excitement. The film is planned for a Sankranti release in 2025, capitalizing on the successful Sankranti sentiment from Waltair Veerayya. Vishwambhara is being developed as a socio-fantasy, a genre Chiranjeevi hasn’t tackled since the hit Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari.
Also Read : Chiranjeevi, the Saviour: Megastar’s Generosity Toward Fish Venkat
Connection with Bimbisara
Rumors suggest that Vishwambhara may be linked to the Bimbisara universe, with connections drawn from Kalyan Ram’s film. This approach follows the trend seen in recent Tamil and Hindi films that are building cinematic universes. Vishwambhara is being made with a high budget, possibly the highest in Chiranjeevi’s career, and is planned for a pan-India release. The film’s pre-release business is reportedly strong, but OTT platforms are now hesitating to commit to high rates for the film.
OTT Platforms Backing Out
Before the film’s release, OTT platforms were keen to offer substantial sums for the film’s rights. However, it appears they are now backing out, possibly due to losses from previous films like Acharya and Bholaa Shankar. The OTT platforms are reportedly only willing to offer half of the quoted amount for Vishwambhara. This reluctance seems to be influenced by the poor performance of earlier films, impacting the negotiations for Vishwambhara.
