One of the most effective filmmakers in Telugu cinema today, Anil Ravipudi, is facing the biggest challenge of his career. His upcoming film with Chiranjeevi is gearing up for release on January 12 during Sankranti.
Expectations are unusually high.
So far, criticism of Anil Ravipudi's films usually surfaced after release. This time, negative word of mouth has begun even before the film hits theatres. That makes this project different from his earlier outings.
The recently released trailer received a largely troll-driven response on social media. However, this online noise may not reflect ground reality. Anil Ravipudi's core audience has traditionally been different from social media critics.
His strength lies in crafting films that connect strongly with the masses. He understands festival audiences and the regular ticket-buying crowd. This factor has helped him succeed repeatedly despite online criticism.
The challenge now is working with a megastar like Chiranjeevi. Managing such a huge image while presenting the star in an engaging way is not easy. The expectations are far higher than usual.
Until now, Anil mostly worked with neutral heroes. With Chiranjeevi in the frame, scrutiny will be intense. If things do not work, criticism could turn harsh, making this a defining moment in Anil Ravipudi's career.