Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language epic action thriller film directed by Prashanth Neel and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. The film stars Prabhas in the titular role, alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha, Sriya Reddy, Ramachandra Raju, John Vijay, Easwari Rao, Tinnu Anand, Devaraj, Brahmaji and Mime Gopi. In the fictional dystopian city-state of Khansaar, where monarchy still exists, the film follows the friendship between Deva (Prabhas), the exiled prince of Khansaar, and Varadha (Prithviraj Sukumaran), the current prince of Khansaar. When a coup d'état is planned by his father's ministers and his relatives, Varadha enlists Deva's help to become Khansaar's undisputed ruler. The film's initial storyline was pitched from Neel's debut film Ugramm (2014) and is the maiden part of a two-part film.[4] It was officially announced in December 2020 under the title Salaar, however, in July 2023, its first installment was titled as Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire. Principal photography commenced in January 2021, and occurred sporadically in several legs over nearly three years, before wrapping in late 2023. Filming locations included Telangana, Italy and Budapest. Production difficulties, ranging from the pandemic, reshoots and VFX delays, postponed Salaar's release date several times. The music is composed by Ravi Basrur, cinematography handled by Bhuvan Gowda and editing by Ujwal Kulkarni. Part 1 – Ceasefire was theatrically released on 22 December 2023, coinciding with Christmas. The film received positive reviews from critics. It was a commercial success, earning ₹614–702 crore on a ₹270–400 crore budget making it the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2023, third highest-grossing Telugu film of all time, and the nineteenth highest-grossing Indian film of all time at the end of its theatrical run.[a] A sequel is in development.
KGF: Chapter 1 is a 2018 Indian Kannada-language period action film[5] written and directed by Prashanth Neel, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the banner of Hombale Films. It is the first installment in the KGF series, followed by KGF: Chapter 2. The film stars Yash, Srinidhi Shetty, Vasishta N. Simha, Ramachandra Raju, Archana Jois, Anant Nag, Achyuth Kumar, Malavika Avinash, T. S. Nagabharana and B. Suresha. Filmed on a budget of ₹80 crore (equivalent to ₹107 crore or US$13 million in 2023), it was the most expensive Kannada film at the time of its release.[2] In the film, Rocky, a high-ranking mercenary, working for a prominent gold mafia in Bombay, seeks power and wealth in order to fulfill his mother's promise. Due to his high fame, the leaders of the gold mafia where he works hire him to assassinate Garuda, the son of the founder of Kolar Gold Fields. The film's development began in early 2015, after Neel finished writing the screenplay.[citation needed] Filming began two years later, in January 2017. Most of the film is set in the Kolar Gold Fields and was filmed in locales such as Kolar, Mysore, and parts of North Karnataka. The film's production was completed in August 2018.[6] Bhuvan Gowda handled the cinematography and Srikanth edited the film. Composer Ravi Basrur scored the film.[7]
Pushpa 2: The Rule is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language action drama film[8] written and directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with Sukumar Writings. A sequel to Pushpa: The Rise (2021), it is the second installment in the Pushpa film series. The film stars Allu Arjun in the titular role, alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagapathi Babu, Sunil and Rao Ramesh. It follows Pushpa Raj, a labourer-turned-red sandalwood smuggler, as he faces growing threats from his enemies, including SP Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat. The sequel was officially announced in December 2021, shortly before the release of the first film, with the title Pushpa 2 and later rebranded as Pushpa 2: The Rule with the release of the first film.[9][10] Although a portion of the film was initially shot back-to-back with the first film, director Sukumar revised the storyline, leading to principal photography beginning in October 2022. The film features music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, cinematography by Mirosław Kuba Brożek, and editing by Naveen Nooli. Made on a budget of ₹400–500 crore,[3][11] it is among the most expensive Indian films ever produced. With a runtime of 200–224 minutes,[12][2] it is also one of the longest Indian films.[13]