DYK THIS hero was first choice for Chirutha

In the Telugu film industry, it’s common for one hero’s rejected story to become another hero’s big success. A similar incident happened with Chirutha, the debut movie of Ram Charan. But interestingly, he was not the first choice for this film.

Back in 2004, director Puri Jagannadh wanted to launch his younger brother Sairam Shankar with a new film. He asked Meher Ramesh, who was then his assistant, to direct the film. The story was inspired by a Hollywood movie Swept Away (2002), which starred Madonna. The plot involved a rich, arrogant heroine and a tough guy stranded on an island where she learns humility.

The Telugu version of the story was almost ready. Even an opening ceremony was held in December 2004, with the title “Seetha Mahalakshmi F19”. Anushka Shetty was considered for the heroine’s role. The team even planned to shoot on Bangkok beaches. But nature had other plans.

Just days after the launch, a massive tsunami hit Asia. Because of safety restrictions and financial issues, the movie was shelved. That ended Sairam Shankar’s big opportunity.

Years later, in 2006, Chiranjeevi approached Puri Jagannadh to launch his son Ram Charan. Puri remembered the old island-based script and revised it with action elements. This updated version became Chirutha, which released in 2007 and turned into a successful launch for Ram Charan.

Unfortunately, Sairam Shankar missed a golden chance. If that movie had worked out, his career might have taken a different turn. Today, he’s seen only in small-budget films.