Hyderabad, August 22: For days now, the internet has been buzzing with one question: is Anil Kapoor about to make a splash in Telugu cinema alongside Suriya? Turns out, the answer is a hard no.
Venky Atluri, the director at the centre of all this noise, has finally broken his silence and he’s not mincing words. “I haven’t approached Anil Kapoor. There’s been no discussion. It’s all false,” he told The Times of India, effectively pulling the plug on what had become a fast-growing rumour.
The Rumour That Grew Legs
To be fair, it didn’t start as a massive headline. A couple of anonymous posts here, a fan-made poster there. Suddenly, timelines were filled with speculative tweets linking Kapoor to Atluri’s next film an untitled project featuring Suriya in the lead. A few film blogs even jumped in, floating theories about a pan-India crossover, complete with imagined plotlines and fake “leaks.”
By the time Atluri stepped in to clarify, the rumour had already gone viral.
“It got out of hand quickly,” said a Hyderabad-based publicist who works closely with Southern film units. “People saw how well Bollywood actors were being received down South Sanjay Dutt in K.G.F, Bobby Deol in Animal and they just assumed Kapoor was next.”
But that’s the thing. Assumptions, no matter how well-intentioned, aren’t the same as facts.
Why the Buzz Made Sense But Was Still Wrong
If you squint, the idea doesn’t sound so far-fetched. Anil Kapoor, at 68, is on a bit of a career tear. He’s in War 2, one of Yash Raj Films’ biggest tentpoles. He’s doing serious dramatic work in Subedaar, reportedly playing a retired army man drawn into a dangerous underworld. And he just hosted the latest season of Bigg Boss OTT, of all things. The man’s booked and busy.
So when fans heard he might be teaming up with Suriya another actor with serious chops and a loyal fanbase it didn’t seem impossible. Add to that Atluri’s own reputation for slick, high-emotion storytelling, and you’ve got the ingredients for a crossover that practically markets itself.
But again, none of it’s real. Not yet, anyway.
Atluri and Suriya Stay Quiet on the Bigger Picture
Beyond shutting down the Kapoor rumours, Atluri hasn’t offered much about the film itself. We know Suriya is involved. We know it’s likely being mounted on a big scale. But plot details? Other cast members? Release timeline? All still under wraps.
And frankly, that might be part of why the Kapoor talk spiralled the way it did. In the absence of confirmed information, speculation fills the void.
“Suriya hasn’t done a straight Telugu film in years,” said a film distributor in Banjara Hills. “Fans are hungry. They want updates, cast news, anything. Even unverified stuff gets traction.”
A Reminder That Even Veteran Actors Aren’t Immune to Gossip
For Kapoor, this is hardly the first time he’s been the subject of baseless casting chatter. Just last year, there were similar rumours about him doing a Netflix series with Manoj Bajpayee, which also turned out to be false. It’s part of being a legacy actor in the digital age your name alone is enough to set the rumour mills churning.
But it’s also a sign of how relevant he remains. Most 60-something actors are quietly fading into retirement or the occasional father-figure cameo. Kapoor? He’s doing espionage thrillers, gritty solo dramas, and prime-time reality TV. Love him or hate him, the man refuses to be ignored.
And For Now, That’s That
So no, Anil Kapoor is not joining hands with Venky Atluri and Suriya. The rumours are just that rumours. But the frenzy they caused? That says something about the appetite for crossover cinema, and about how one actor’s name can still shake up a quiet news cycle.
Kapoor hasn’t commented publicly about any of it, and honestly, he probably doesn’t need to. His calendar speaks for itself. The fans will keep guessing, and the next rumour will probably start tomorrow.
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