Hyderabad: Chiranjeevi is one of the biggest and most loved actors in the Tollywood film industry. He gave many blockbuster films like Khaidi, Indra, Tagore, Gharana Mogudu, and Shankar Dada MBBS. He became famous for his amazing dance moves, powerful acting, and mass appeal.
Did you know? In the 1990s, Chiranjeevi was the first Indian actor to get a Rs. 1 crore salary for a film. That was a huge deal back then.
Not many people know this, but Chiranjeevi almost acted in a Hollywood movie called Abu – Baghdad Gaja Donga (also known as The Thief of Baghdad). It started in 1998 and was shot in Telugu, Hindi, and English at the same time. Famous director Suresh Krishna handled the Indian version and music was by A.R. Rahman.
It was a big project with a budget of Rs. 50 crores. About 20% of the film was completed, but it got stopped. Why?
According to multiple media reports, the film faced backlash after Muslim religious groups staged protests, alleging that pages from the holy Quran were dipped in tea to make them appear ancient for a scene. The controversy escalated, leading to widespread outrage and a court case, ultimately forcing the makers to permanently shelve the project.
Even today, Chiranjeevi is busy with big films:
• Vishwambhara – A fantasy-action film, set to release in May 2025. Actress Mouni Roy will appear in a special song.
• Mega157 – A mass entertainer with director Anil Ravipudi and actress Nayanthara, planned for Sankranti 2026.
