The character of Gona Ganna Reddy in Rudhrama Devi stood out from the rest. It even dominated Anushka Shetty's titular character. That was just as much due to the characterization as it was to Allu Arjun's superlative performance.
Interestingly, the character was first offered to Tamil actor Vikram Prabhu, a non-entity in Telugu. Had he played the part, Rudhrdama Devi wouldn't have enjoyed the kind of buzz that it did. The character wouldn't have acquired a whistle-worthy aura, and it would have been imagined minus the swag by the director. It was rewritten as a mass-hero role because of Bunny.
Director Gunasekhar's Rudhrama Devi gamble was a mixed bag. The film's budget allegedly shot up to a nearly unsustainable level. The director's passion received plaudits from the audience and film critics alike.
Vikram Prabhu is Ghaati's lead man. The film, starring Anushka Shetty, heads to theatres on September 5. It is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi.
