One of Telugu cinema’s most successful director and music director combinations has come to an end. Sukumar has moved on from Devi Sri Prasad for his next film with Ram Charan, tentatively titled RC17. This is the first time in his career that Sukumar is making a film without DSP, and Anirudh Ravichander is said to be finalised as the new music composer.
A Partnership That Began With Arya
Sukumar and DSP have worked together on every single film Sukumar has directed. It started with Arya in 2004, and the combination went on to deliver Jagadam, Arya 2, 100% Love, 1: Nenokkadine, Nannaku Prematho, Rangasthalam and the Pushpa films.
The pair gave Telugu cinema some of its biggest chartbusters over two decades. DSP even won the National Award for Best Music Direction for Pushpa: The Rise. For many fans, a Sukumar film without DSP’s music was simply unthinkable.
When RC17 was first announced by Mythri Movie Makers in March 2024, DSP was officially part of the team, reuniting the Rangasthalam combination of Ram Charan, Sukumar and DSP. That has now changed.
The Cracks Started With Pushpa 2
The signs were visible during Pushpa 2: The Rule. Close to release, Sukumar brought in other music directors to work on the background score, including Sam CS, who later confirmed his involvement. For a film where DSP had handled both songs and score in Part 1, this was a big shift. DSP also made pointed remarks about the producers on stage at a promotional event in Chennai, which made it clear that all was not well.
From that time, there were doubts about whether Sukumar would continue with DSP for his next film. Over the last few months, other composers like Shashwat Sachdev and Sai Abhyankkar were also discussed for RC17. Now it is clear that Sukumar is moving on.
Anirudh’s Big Telugu Move
If Anirudh comes on board, it will be one of the biggest music deals in Telugu cinema. Anirudh has already scored big Telugu films like Devara and Nani’s The Paradise, and pairing him with Sukumar and Ram Charan will instantly raise the expectations on RC17.
RC17 marks Ram Charan and Sukumar’s reunion after the 2018 blockbuster Rangasthalam. The film is produced by Mythri Movie Makers along with Sukumar Writings and is expected to go on floors soon.
What This Means for DSP
For DSP, losing Sukumar is a big blow. Sukumar was his most loyal collaborator, and their films together gave him some of the biggest hits of his career. How DSP responds in his upcoming projects will now be closely watched.
