Mahesh Babu Aims to Break Records of Baahubali, RRR, and Pushpa with a 1500 Crore Budget Film

By Sharad Rai

Competition and the game of fame exist everywhere. Whether in Bollywood or Tollywood, it's human nature to want to make a bigger name than others. Just like Bollywood stars often try to outdo each other by grabbing roles or films, South Indian stars also maintain competition among themselves. One such rivalry has emerged between South's superstar Mahesh Babu and the legendary filmmaker SS Rajamouli, leading to their collaboration on the upcoming film SSMB 29.

Mahesh Babu, the only fair-skinned star from the South Indian film industry, is not as familiar to Hindi audiences as stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, or the later generation of actors like Prabhas, Surya, Ram Charan, Jr. NTR, or Allu Arjun. This is mainly because their films have been remade in Hindi, and their dubbed versions have also performed well. Keeping this in mind, Mahesh Babu is working on a film that is not only a pan-India film but also aimed at international marketing. Through this film, he wants to create such a buzz that it surpasses the achievements of all other South Indian stars.

Recently, there were rumors about SS Rajamouli's hush-hush shooting of SSMB 29 in Hyderabad. No details about the film have been revealed, and efforts are being made to keep everything under wraps. The speculation about the film grew when Priyanka Chopra was seen landing in Hyderabad directly from New York. It was claimed that she came to India to perform the Kumbh Snan in Prayagraj, but she didn’t go there. Similarly, her arrival in Mumbai was linked to her brother’s wedding, but she was also said to have taken a break from the film's shoot to attend it. It was further speculated that Priyanka Chopra, now an international film star, wanted to work in a Bollywood film, leading her to connect with India’s most expensive filmmaker, Rajamouli. Priyanka is reportedly being paid 30 crores for this film, which is much higher than the fees of Bollywood stars like Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt.

Now, let’s talk a bit more about Mahesh Babu (Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu). He is one of the four biggest stars of the South, similar to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar in Bollywood. His films like Rajakumarudu,  Murari, Okkadu, Athudu, Pokiri, and others have been commercially successful in the South. Mahesh Babu has won seven Nandi Awards and five Filmfare Awards. His recent film Guntur Karam, directed by Trivikram, was released last year.

The difference between Hindi and South Indian filmmaking styles is that in the South, stars don’t snatch roles from each other. Instead, there is a healthy competition to deliver something unique and grand. Many films from the South, like Baahubali 2, Pushpa 2, and others, have become pan-India hits, and their stars have risen above regional boundaries to become national icons. In order to compete with these stars, Mahesh Babu and Rajamouli met two years ago in 2022 to plan the creation of SSMB 29, which will have an estimated budget of 1500 crores – making it the most expensive film in India. This budget is equivalent to the annual budget of some large Indian cities!

The title SSMB 29 is still tentative, just like RRR’s title wasn’t revealed until much later. However, it’s clear that the film will be helmed by the same director who made RRR and Baahubali – SS Rajamouli, along with Mahesh Babu and the international star Priyanka Chopra.

This film is said to be an epic thriller with a narrative style similar to Indiana Jones. Rajamouli, known for making films with the highest budgets in India, will showcase everything he hasn’t been able to in previous films. The shooting for SSMB 29 will take place in several countries and picturesque tourist destinations, and the film is expected to release in 2028 or 2029 after the shooting is completed by 2025-26.

In short, this film is being made to surpass the records of recent successful South Indian films and their stars. So, get ready for another star from the South to shine across India!

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