Megastar Chiranjeevi appears to be growing tired of the repetitive nature of commercial films he has been associated with for the past decades. Filmmaker Kona Venkat recently shared insights, revealing that Chiranjeevi himself has expressed his reservations about playing the same kind of
mass hero roles
that have become his trademark.Craving fresh storytellingDuring an interview with Galatta Telugu, the 'Godfather' actor is reportedly eager to break free from the usual formulaic storytelling that dominates his recent movies. He finds the constant use of dramatic flashbacks and typical mass hero elements monotonous and longs to portray more "normal" or realistic characters.Kona Venkat said, "He also wonders why he can't play a normal character. When will I make new films? I am bored, he says. He wants to break the cliché, break the routine."
According to Kona Venkat, Chiranjeevi has expressed frustration over being stuck in a routine where every film follows a predictable pattern, and he is keen to explore fresh and unconventional roles that challenge him creatively.
However, Kona also shared about the practical challenges that come with this desire and how filmmaking has changed, as Budgets have increased, and production times have stretched from around 40 days in the past to 150-170 days now.While Chiranjeevi yearns to do films that offer personal satisfaction, like the critically acclaimed 'Swayam Krushi' (1987), the commercial realities of the film industry make it difficult.Films like 'Swayam Krushi', which focused more on storytelling and character depth than on action or song-and-dance sequences, did not perform well at the box office. If such a film were made today, even with a smaller budget, it would likely appeal only to multiplex audiences, while the mass audience might lose interest due to the absence of typical commercial elements like action scenes and item songs.He said, "If we can make 'Swayam Krushi' today with a smaller budget, he'd still do it. But it'll run only in multiplexes because the mass audience will wonder why there are no action scenes or item songs."Upcoming projectsCurrently, Chiranjeevi is working on his upcoming mega socio-fantasy film, 'Vishwambhara', directed by Malladi Vassishta, which also stars Trisha Krishnan.He will be further collaborating with 'Dasara' and 'The Paradise' director Srikanth Odela for an action thriller, and will also be seen in an Anil Pavipudi directorial.