Director S. Shankar, once a beloved figure in the Tamil film industry, has seen a dramatic shift in fortune. His last two films, both featuring top-tier actors with immense brand value, turned out to be financial disasters. One of them, Indian 2, was the sequel to the cult classic Indian and starred Kamal Haasan in the lead role. Despite the original film’s iconic status, the sequel failed at the box office. However, Indian 3 is still in the pipeline.
Shankar then ventured into Telugu cinema with Game Changer, starring Ram Charan. Unfortunately, this film also met the same fate, bombing at the box office and receiving negative reviews from both audiences and critics.
There has been online chatter about director Shankar’s dream project, an adaptation of the Tamil novel Veera Yuga Nayagan Velpari by Su. Venkatesan. However, according to Great Andhra, this project is unlikely to materialize due to an unofficial ban on Shankar in the Tamil film industry. Producers are reportedly boycotting him.
The film, being a grand period drama, requires a massive budget. Shankar is also known for his extravagant song sequences, some of which cost more than the budget of an average film.
Indian 3 is also mired in controversy due to production delays. As a result, the film’s producers reportedly approached the Tamil Film Producers Council, requesting a hold on Game Changer’s release in Tamil Nadu until they received a clear timeline for Indian 3’s completion. It is likely that some sort of agreement was reached before Game Changer hit theaters.
Although highly unlikely, if Indian 3 becomes a massive success, it could turn Shankar’s fortunes around. However, with the overwhelmingly negative reception of Indian 2, repairing the brand image won’t be easy. For Shankar to reclaim his reputation, Indian 3 would need to be nothing less than exceptional.
