I'm writing this after watching "Guntur Kaaram". Mahesh Babu should know that he shouldn't jump into experiments with aged directors like Trivikram. He should analyze which director has the creative spark and who has become a spent force.
Mahesh might have dropped the idea of working on this project initially itself. It had been an open secret that there were too many iterations of the script given by Trivikram. Instead of getting into such things, he might have conveniently avoided the project itself.
Moreover, the combination of Mahesh Babu and Trivikram brought class films like Athadu and Khaleja, which didn't perform well at the box office but gained good reviews from TV audiences.
So, the biggest misstep of Mahesh Babu is to do a film with a massy look with Trivikram. It should be noted that Trivikram didn't keep the classy part away from the film but incorporated it in the form of Ramyakrishna's rich track.
Mahesh Babu now has hope only with Rajamouli's film, who is experimenting in a different way. It should be noted that Mahesh shouldn't blindly believe in Rajamouli regarding the script, as the director has shown signs of losing the creative edge with the content of RRR.
Although Rajamouli made attempts and brought an Oscar for the film, it shouldn't be ignored that the content in RRR is inferior by all means when compared to Rajamouli's previous films. So, what is in store from Rajamouli this time should be considered wisely.
Mahesh Babu came with Sarileru Neekevvaru in 2020 and Sarkaru Vaari Paata in 2022. He came with Guntur Kaaram in 2024, and it would be a wonder if Rajamouli's film comes by 2026-27, as nothing has been started yet other than pre-production work.
Mahesh Babu's career is not like his father's, who used to do tens of films every year. So, he needs to take meticulous care with every film that comes to him. Moreover, he should keep aged directors aside and look at young successful talents in the industry.
Well, Trivikram thought that making Mahesh wear a lungi and keeping a beedi between his lips would be enough to call it a mass film. The so called somantic-track between Sreeleela and Mahesh is so irritating.
We don't have vintage Trivikram anymore. He shows signs of being a spent force, so his stories and narratives should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Usha Chowdhary