Dil Raju confirmed at the Ramayana success meet that Anil Ravipudi’s next film will be produced under his banner, Sri Venkateswara Creations, and it is targeting a Sankranti 2028 release. The big question now is who will play the lead.
Anil Ravipudi’s Sankranti Routine
Anil Ravipudi has built a clear pattern over his recent films, and his next one looks set to follow it.
His current film, January 12 Vidudala, starring Venkatesh and Kalyan Ram, releases for Sankranti 2027. After the release, Anil usually takes four to five months, until around May, to complete the script and pre-production. He then starts shooting in the second half of the year and wraps up by the end of November, in time for the next Sankranti.
That timeline puts his next film on course for Sankranti 2028.
Option 1: Balakrishna
The first name doing the rounds is Nandamuri Balakrishna. Anil and Balakrishna worked together on the hit Bhagavanth Kesari, and they had committed to doing another film together.
There has been strong talk that Balakrishna will first complete his film with Koratala Siva in the first half of 2027, and then join Anil Ravipudi’s project in the second half of the year. That timeline fits Anil’s Sankranti plan perfectly.
Option 2: Pawan Kalyan
The second name is Pawan Kalyan. There is also talk in industry circles that Anil Ravipudi wants to make a film with Pawan Kalyan, and that Dil Raju’s recent meeting with Pawan Kalyan was about this project.
At the Ramayana success meet, Dil Raju said he had met Pawan Kalyan to explore another film together and that the response was positive. He also said it was too early to talk about it.
Which Way Will It Go?
Dil Raju and Anil Ravipudi have a strong track record together, with hits like F2, F3 and Sankranthiki Vasthunam. Whether their next Sankranti film stars Balakrishna or Pawan Kalyan, it will be one of the biggest films of 2028.
For now, both options are open, and it remains to be seen which hero the film finally goes ahead with.