Which 2 big actors rejected Ye Maya Chesave? Check names

Hyderabad: The classic Telugu romantic drama Ye Maaya Chesave is all set for a grand re-release on July 19, marking its 15-year anniversary. While fans are excited to relive the magic of Karthik and Jessie on the big screen, director Gautham Vasudev Menon recently revealed some lesser-known, interesting facts about how the story actually began.

Originally Written for Mahesh Babu

In a recent interview, Gautham Menon shared that he initially wrote the film for Mahesh Babu, after committing to do a project for Mahesh’s sister, Manjula Ghattamaneni, who also produced the film. Gautham penned the story as a romantic drama in just six days and narrated it to Mahesh. 

But Mahesh politely declined, saying that audiences expected action films from him — especially after his massive hits like Pokiri, Athadu, and Okkadu.

Chiranjeevi in the Climax? Yes, That Was the Plan!

The original climax Gautham wrote was more cinematic and dramatic. In the first draft, the hero is seen shooting his debut film where Megastar Chiranjeevi is the lead actor. Chiranjeevi notices that the young hero seems distracted. When asked, the hero shares that his girlfriend is getting married far away. Chiranjeevi, in true filmy style, arranges a helicopter to help the hero reach her wedding!

Unfortunately, this version never made it to screen, as both Mahesh and another big Telugu star turned it down for being a love story.

From Rejection to Cult Classic

Eventually, Gautham was convinced to cast Naga Chaitanya, and alongside Samantha, Ye Maaya Chesave became a blockbuster. Interestingly, this film marked Samantha’s Telugu debut, and was also the beginning of her real-life love story with Chaitanya.