Amitabh Bachchan to Join Kalki 2 Shoot; Continues to Command Massive Telugu Fanbase

Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan will join the shoot of Kalki 2 in the coming days, after the huge success of his debut film in Tollywood, Kalki 2898 AD. Producer Lagadapati Sridhar says the megastar has proven once again why he remains an icon of Indian cinema.

“I am glad that Amitabh Bachchan achieved great success with his Telugu debut. He looked stunning and gave a magnificent performance as the epic warrior Ashwathama, something very few actors can achieve,” said Sridhar. “His charisma is unmatched and he remains a true acting institution in Indian cinema.”

He also added that Bachchan has gained huge admiration among Telugu audiences. “Along with me, there are millions of Telugu fans who adore his style, his baritone voice and boast it across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” he said.

Sridhar noted that Amitabh Bachchan dominated the Telugu box office from the 1970s to the 1990s with blockbuster Hindi films like Sholay, Amar Akbar Antony, Don, Naseeb and Coolie. “Gangster classic Don ran for over a year at Tarakarama Theatre, Hyderabad, clearly proving its ability to draw in crowds. While Sholay enjoyed silver jubilee runs in five to six centers in united Andhra Pradesh, Cookie was also a big money spinner,” he recalled.

According to Sridhar, Bachchan’s popularity spread to Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Vizag and Telugu audiences consistently thronged theaters for his films. “Even movies like Shehenshah created huge buzz and had a strong opening in united Andhra Pradesh. But its market in Telugu states slowly dried out over time,” he added.

Bachchan, who has largely focused on Bollywood films, made a brief Telugu comeback with Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, starring megastar Chiranjeevi. “Unfortunately, it failed to set the box office on fire. The role was poorly cast for an actor of Amitabh’s stature and left Telugu fans disappointed,” says director Hemanth Madhukar.

But he firmly believes that Kalki has brought back Bachchan’s glory in Telugu cinema. He said, “As Ashwathama, she played a writer-backed, content role and even outshone Prabhas in a few scenes with her sheer acting talent.” “At 83, Amitabh Bachchan is still choosing powerful roles and will wow the audience once again in Kalki 2.”