Purushothamudu – Trailer | Raj Tarun | Hasini | Ram Bhimana (Rom) | Gopi Sundar

In an interesting twist for Telugu cinema, director Shouryuv’s highly anticipated second film — initially envisioned for Jr NTR — is now set to feature his debut hero, Nani. This shift comes as Jr NTR gracefully exited the project due to an overflowing schedule that stretches well into the next few years.

Shouryuv, who earned acclaim for his emotionally rich debut Hi Nanna in 2023 under Vyra Entertainments, had long been developing a large-scale action drama. Initially, it was designed with Jr NTR in mind. While the director never formally confirmed Tarak’s involvement, insiders revealed that the actor had given a positive nod and even sparked hope with preliminary discussions. The script, reportedly “1,000 times more intense than Hi Nanna,” underwent nearly 15 months of meticulous development and was intended to unfold across a vast canvas spanning Hyderabad and beyond.

However, the reality of Jr NTR’s calendar soon set in. With high-profile commitments including films with Prashanth Neel, Koratala Siva (Devara 2), Nelson, Trivikram, and the Made In India biopic presented by SS Rajamouli, the actor’s slate is packed until at least 2029. With even War 2 locking an August 14 release and further obligations post-launch, Tarak reportedly chose to step away from Shouryuv’s film rather than stall its progress indefinitely.

This isn’t the first time scheduling has disrupted promising collaborations for Jr NTR. A similar case occurred with director Buchi Babu Sana, who developed Peddi with NTR over a year, only for it to fall through due to logistical conflicts. Eventually, Ram Charan stepped in, and that film is now slated for a summer release.

Now, Shouryuv’s emotionally-driven action drama finds a fitting new lead in Nani — an actor who deeply connects with the director’s storytelling sensibilities. For Nani, it’s a full-circle moment, reuniting with the filmmaker he once trusted with a directorial debut. But this time, the stakes are higher, with the film being mounted on a grander scale.

Pre-production is underway under Vyra Entertainments, with Nani’s longtime manager Venkat coming on board as co-producer. Meanwhile, Nani is busy shooting for The Paradise, directed by Dasara’s Srikanth Odela, and is also committed to Sujeeth’s next film following They Call Him OG.

With the stars aligned and emotional storytelling at its core, Shouryuv and Nani’s upcoming collaboration promises to be one of the most compelling Telugu films on the horizon.