Tollywood's signing superstars!

Once life for a Tollywood superstar meant acting pricey and doing one film a year. But the equations in T-Town seem to have changed almost overnight and most Tollywood A-listers ���������Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Siddharth and Nagarjuna are now working round the clock and have two-three flicks hitting the screens this year.
Mahesh Babu who took a long ���������unintended sabbatical��������� returned with ���������Khaleja��������� on which he spent considerable time, only to see it fizzle at the BO.The star has gone on record saying that he wants to do ���������more films��������� as he ���������does not want to disappoint��������� his fans. Mahesh, who is doing ���������Dookudu���������, has signed ���������Businessman��������� with Puri Jagannath and also announced that he���������s doing a Mani Ratnam film. Buzz is that he���������s also considering Shankar���������s remake of ���������3 Idiots���������.
Ditto with Pawan Kalyan. After the dismal performance of ���������Puli��������� for which he dedicated almost a year, he now has four films in his kitty ��������� he is doing ���������Theen Maar��������� the remake of ���������Love Aaj Kal���������, ���������Gabbar Singh���������, the remake of ���������Dabangg���������, a film with Singeetham Srinivas Rao that���������s based on the life of Jesus and ���������Shadow��������� with Tamil director Vishnuvardhan.
With Siddharth too, the story is similar. The much-hyped ���������Anaganaga O Dheerudu��������� failed to do much for him and ���������Baava��������� sank without a trace. Siddhu, who has completed ���������180���������, is now doing ���������Oh My Friend��������� with Dil Raju and Deepa Mehta���������s ���������Midnight���������s Children���������, an adaptation of Salman Rushdie���������s novel. He has also been approached by director Nandini Reddy of ���������Ala Modalaindi��������� fame for her upcoming film. ���������I want to do different kinds of roles and films in different languages ,��������� the actor told Hyderabad Times and went on to add, ���������I���������m busy almost everyday of the year, it���������s hard to get a two-day off.���������
Not only Tollywood stars who suffered flops are on a signing spree, even those who have had blockbusters to their credit are doing the same. Post ���������Gaganam��������� and ���������Ragada���������, actor Nagarjuna is doing two films ���������Damarukham��������� and ���������Rajanna���������. NTR Junior who had single releases in the past two years (���������Adhurs��������� and ���������Brindavanam���������) has completed ���������Shakti��������� and has signed Surender Reddy���������s ���������Rachcha��������� and Boyapati Seenu���������s next. The young actor is taking a month���������s break for his wedding. Prabhas who had only ���������Darling��������� to his credit last year has a full platter. He���������s currently doing ���������Mr Perfect���������, Lawrence���������s ���������Rebel��������� and a big-budget fantasy film with SS Rajamouli.
Director Boyapati Seenu says, ���������This is a healthy trend especially when the industry is going through a difficult financial phase. When established stars take on work, a lot of people in the industry are benefited. As long as the stars are able to give dates at a stretch for each of their films, signing on more films is a boon to the industry. It���������s only when the stars are unable to give dates and the production time stretches that producers suffer having to pay interest on the money that they take on loan.���������
Summing up the trend producer Dil Raju says, ���������It���������s good news to the industry that the stars are taking on more work. A lot of people live off the industry but the quality of the films made is going to be effected.���������
jemima.margaret@timesgroup.com
(With inputs from Suresh Kavirayani)