Sukumar is one of the biggest directors in Indian cinema today. After the massive pan-India success of the Pushpa series, many see him as the biggest name in pan-India cinema after SS Rajamouli.
But like Rajamouli, Sukumar has one common complaint against him: his films take years to reach theatres. With RC17, he is said to be planning to change that.
The Long Wait Problem
Fans have often had to wait a long time between Sukumar films. Pushpa: The Rise released in December 2021, and Pushpa 2: The Rule arrived three years later, in December 2024. Before that, there was a gap of more than three years between Rangasthalam and Pushpa.
The results were worth it, but the long gaps have always been a talking point.
One-Year Shoot Plan for RC17
For RC17 with Ram Charan, Sukumar is said to be coming in fully prepared. The plan is to finish the entire shoot within one year.
All the pre-production work is said to have been planned in detail so the shoot can move fast once it begins.
Release Target: First Half of 2028
The team’s target is said to be to complete the shoot by the end of 2027, and release the film in the first half of 2028.
If that happens, RC17 would reach theatres in about a year and a half from its launch, which would be quick by Sukumar’s standards.
Shoot Begins This Year End
RC17 was launched today with a grand pooja ceremony in Hyderabad, with Megastar Chiranjeevi giving the first clap. The regular shoot is set to begin by the end of this year.
The makers have already said that Ram Charan is going through a complete transformation for the role, and Sukumar will present him in a strikingly different avatar.
Can Sukumar Stick to the Plan?
Plans on paper and plans on the sets don’t always match, especially for a director known for perfection. How things unfold once RC17 goes on the floors will show whether Sukumar can stick to his timeline.
For Mega fans, who have waited years for the Rangasthalam combo to reunite, a 2028 release would be the best news possible.