Superstar Mahesh Babu has always chosen films that resonate not just with his fans but with a broad audience in Telugu cinema. Now, he is set to take things to the next level with a globe-trotting adventure directed by SS Rajamouli. This ambitious project is riding high on expectations, offering Mahesh a golden opportunity to expand his stardom beyond Telugu states and onto the global stage.
Historically, Mahesh Babu has preferred to focus on his core Telugu audience rather than aggressively pursuing the Tamil and Hindi markets. While his contemporaries have successfully ventured into pan-India cinema, Mahesh has largely stayed within his comfort zone. His attempt to break into a wider audience with Spyder didn’t go as planned, leading him to refocus on projects tailored to Telugu viewers, resulting in a series of successful films.
However, interestingly, several major pan-India projects initially came to Mahesh Babu before landing elsewhere. Reports suggest that after Pushpa: The Rise became a blockbuster, it was revealed that director Sukumar had originally approached Mahesh for the film before it ultimately went to Allu Arjun. Similarly, after the massive success of Chhaava, it was widely speculated that director Laxman Utekar had initially envisioned Mahesh Babu in the lead role. The director reportedly waited for years for Mahesh to greenlight the project, but when that didn’t happen, he moved forward with Vicky Kaushal, who delivered a stellar performance as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Chhaava has been a game-changer for Bollywood, drawing audiences in droves and reviving the box office in 2025. Vicky Kaushal’s performance has been widely praised, alongside Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Aurangzeb, which has received equal acclaim.
Now, Mahesh Babu is finally set to fulfill his fans’ long-standing dream of a true pan-India blockbuster with SS Rajamouli’s film. Even without an official announcement, the project is already trending and generating immense buzz. With Rajamouli at the helm, expectations are sky-high that this will be a game-changing film for Mahesh and his global appeal.