Filmmaker Kona Venkat opens up about Chiranjeevi's script choice, says "He wants to break the cliché"

Kona Venkat talks about Chiranjeevi script selection

Megastar Chiranjeevi is gearing up for his upcoming highly anticipated film, Vishwambhara. The actor lately has been starring in the blockbuster commercial films like Shankar Dada MBBS and Khaidi No 150.

However, there was a time when he gained popularity for his roles in thought-provoking films like Swayam Krushi and Rudraveena. Meanwhile, filmmaker Kona Venkat has recently talked about Chiranjeevi’s script choices and noted that he was tired of starring in films with similar content.

During a recent interview with Galatta Telugu, the director shared, “Even he feels like, how long will they cut to show a dramatic flashback? He says he can’t do it anymore. He also wonders why he can’t play a normal character. When will I make new films? I am bored, he says.”

The filmmaker added, “He wants to break the cliché, break the routine. Do something out of the box. I told him, annayya (brother), you can’t do out-of-the-box films, you need to do box office films.”

Venkat further noted that while films like Swayam Krushi bring him personal fulfilment, he also has a responsibility to ensure the producer earns a profit.

Also Read: Nayanthara joins Chiranjeevi and Anil Ravipudi's film Mega 157, set for Sankranthi 2026 release

He explained, “Take Swayam Krushi (1987) for example, and other films that gave him satisfaction as an actor. What happened to them at the box office? 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.”

Venkat also noted that film budgets have increased substantially, and shooting schedules have extended to 150-170 days, compared to just 40 days in the past.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Chiranjeevi will star in Malladi Vassishta’s Vishwambhara. He will also star in Anil Ravipudi's Mega 157 alongside Nayanthara.