Koratala Siva’s next film with Nandamuri Balakrishna is going through a big change behind the scenes. Anirudh Ravichander, who was the first choice for the music, is now out of the project. The makers are looking at other options, including GV Prakash Kumar.
The Devara Connection
Koratala Siva worked with Anirudh on Devara with NTR, and Anirudh’s music and background score played a big role in the film’s box office success.
So when Koratala moved on to his film with Balakrishna, he planned to continue with Anirudh. But those plans have now changed.
The Real Reason: Cost Cutting
The main reason behind the change is cost cutting. Anirudh is one of the most expensive music directors in India right now, and keeping costs under control has become a priority for the makers.
GV Prakash and a few other composers are now being considered for the film.
Non-Theatrical Markets Have Shrunk
The bigger picture is a slowdown in the non-theatrical market. Digital and satellite rights were once a huge source of revenue for big films, often covering a large part of the budget before release. That market has now dropped sharply.
As a result, producers can’t spend record budgets the way they used to, and every big film is being planned more carefully.
Balakrishna’s Current Film Changed Too
This isn’t the first Balakrishna film to feel the pinch. His current film with Gopichand Malineni was originally planned as a big historical film with Nayanthara as the female lead, to be made over a long schedule.
That plan has since changed. The film is now a gangster drama, with Kajal Aggarwal as the female lead, and it’s being made on a tighter scale.
Budget Control for Koratala’s Film
For the Koratala Siva film too, many discussions have taken place around controlling the budget, and every part of the project is being planned with costs in mind. Replacing Anirudh is one part of that.
An Industry-Wide Shift
This isn’t only about Balakrishna’s films. Across Telugu cinema, producers are now tightening budgets, rethinking big-ticket hires and focusing on cost control. The days of unchecked spending on star technicians seem to be coming to an end, at least for now.
