What Happened to the Director Who Delivered Hits for Akkineni Heroes?

At a time when Anil Ravipudi is synonymous with Sankranti blockbusters, director Kalyan Krishna, who once delivered successful films during the festive season, is still waiting for his next project. He made his directorial debut in 2016 with Soggade Chinni Nayana, which emerged as a major success. He then teamed up with Naga Chaitanya for Rarandoi Veduka Chudham, proving his ability to portray emotions effectively. However, his film Nela Ticket with Ravi Teja failed at the box office, affecting his career. The COVID-19 pandemic further extended his break. In 2022, he returned with Bangarraju, featuring Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya, and scored another Sankranti hit. Despite delivering three successful films out of his first four, he has not released another movie since.

More than four years have passed since Bangarraju hit theatres, but Kalyan Krishna’s next film is yet to take off, sparking discussion in industry circles. In 2023, reports suggested that a film with Megastar Chiranjeevi was almost finalised. Although discussions reportedly took place, the project did not materialise. Later, rumours emerged that Kalyan Krishna would direct a big Akkineni multi-starrer featuring Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya and Akhil, but that project also failed to move forward. Now, his name is once again being linked to Chiranjeevi’s upcoming projects. Chiranjeevi is currently working with director Bobby and is expected to collaborate with Srikanth Odela afterwards. Industry speculation suggests that if the latter project is delayed, Buchi Babu Sana or Kalyan Krishna could get an opportunity. Having worked extensively with Akkineni family actors, a chance to direct Chiranjeevi could mark a major turning point in Kalyan Krishna’s career.