Hyderabad: Two of Tollywood’s most-awaited films appear to have hit a rough patch behind the scenes. While both projects boast huge stars, ambitious worlds and celebrated directors, fresh industry rumours suggest that the filmmakers are now rethinking key creative decisions.
From Sandeep Reddy Vanga reportedly rewriting a crucial sequence in Prabhas’ Spirit to Atlee and Allu Arjun allegedly having differences over the scale and direction of Raaka, both upcoming films are currently generating as much curiosity for what is happening behind the camera as they are for their star power.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga reportedly reworking Spirit
Spirit, starring Prabhas and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is reportedly undergoing major changes behind the scenes. According to unverified reports, Vanga has taken a month-long break to rewrite the film’s interval block.
The original plan reportedly featured an emotional sequence in which Prabhas’ character loses his best friend. The roughly five-minute interval was said to be packed with grief, aggression and raw emotion.
However, reports claim Vanga was not completely satisfied with how the sequence came together and decided to redesign it to better suit Prabhas’ strengths.
The development comes at a time when Vanga’s production Romanchakam has received negative reactions, raising questions about whether the filmmaker’s recent creative choices are working. Still, it would be unfair to judge Vanga’s writing based on one film, especially given his track record with Arjun Reddy and Animal.
For now, there is no official confirmation about the reported changes in Spirit.
Atlee, Allu Arjun reportedly differ over Raaka
Meanwhile, another much-awaited Tollywood project is reportedly facing creative differences. Atlee and Allu Arjun’s Raaka is said to be witnessing a clash of visions, with the director and actor reportedly having different ideas about the film’s scale and storytelling.
Atlee is reportedly keen on keeping the emotional story at the centre and making the film connect strongly with Indian audiences. Allu Arjun, meanwhile, is said to be pushing for a more international-looking spectacle with greater emphasis on VFX and scale.
Raaka is already an extremely ambitious project, reportedly featuring multiple timelines, a triple role for Allu Arjun, a huge ensemble, a pregnant Deepika Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna as her protector, tribal characters, exotic creatures and large-scale action.
With so many elements, the challenge will be ensuring that the spectacle does not overpower the story.
The recent failure of Yash’s Toxic has also highlighted how ambition and scale alone cannot guarantee audience acceptance. Raaka can certainly aim for global appeal, but the emotional core will ultimately determine whether all that scale works.
Both Spirit and Raaka remain highly anticipated. But if the latest rumours are anything to go by, two of Tollywood’s biggest stars and two of its most ambitious filmmakers may have some creative hurdles to overcome before these films reach the finish line.
