Director Gunasekhar Reveals Why Producers Rejected Rudhramadevi Movie

Director Gunasekhar built a strong identity by making unique films. He delivered massive blockbusters with top stars like Chiranjeevi and Mahesh Babu.

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Anushka Shetty

Director Gunasekhar holds a special place in Tollywood. Audiences always loved his grand sets and creative vision. He faced a few flops recently, but he always tried different subjects. He directed Junior NTR as a child artist in Bala Ramayanam. He delivered an industry hit like Choodalani Vundi with Megastar Chiranjeevi. He gave Mahesh Babu a massive mass break with Okkadu. He also directed the big-budget historical film Rudhramadevi.

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రుద్రమ దేవి మూవీ

Gunasekhar shared interesting details about his career challenges in a recent interview. A reporter asked him how he managed to make a massive project like Rudhramadevi during a flop phase. Gunasekhar gave a very clear answer. He said Rudhramadevi was never a sudden idea. He actually wanted to make this historical film right from his assistant director days.

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అత్యధిక రెమ్యునరేషన్ ఆఫర్ చేశారు

Gunasekhar realized he needed a strong market value before starting his dream project. Producers offered him the highest remuneration in South India after the massive success of Okkadu. He felt this was the right time to pitch Rudhramadevi. He narrated the story to the producers who offered him the big paycheck. The producers immediately rejected the idea. They asked him to make a big-budget film with a star hero instead of a heroine-oriented subject.

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హీరోయిన్ ఓరియెంటెడ్ సినిమా అంటే హేళన చేశారు

Producers refused to fund a heroine-oriented film despite his huge market demand. Gunasekhar quickly understood he had to produce this dream project himself. He finally made Rudhramadevi years later even though he was facing flops. He recalled facing a similar situation early in his career. He delivered a solid hit with Sogasu Chuda Tarama starring Naresh. Naresh and Rajendra Prasad were top comedy rivals during that period.

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ఎన్టీఆర్ సినిమా వల్లే చిరంజీవి ఛాన్స్ ఇచ్చారు

Producers approached him with advance payments to direct Rajendra Prasad. Gunasekhar surprised them by pitching the Bala Ramayanam idea instead. The producers warned him against taking a huge risk with a mythological film featuring children. They advised him to make another safe family entertainer and earn good money. They completely failed to see the potential of Bala Ramayanam. Gunasekhar proudly noted that Megastar Chiranjeevi gave him the Choodalani Vundi offer only after watching Bala Ramayanam.