Sukumar, Sandeep Reddy Vanga Can’t Even Touch Rajamouli’s Range?

In Indian cinema, several stars have become pan-India names, but there is one name that continues to stand separately from the rest SS Rajamouli. Prabhas and Allu Arjun have reached audiences across the country with films like Baahubali and Pushpa 2. Yet, the discussion around a Rajamouli film is still different.

The reason is not just the hero.

Rajamouli has created a brand where the director himself has become a major attraction. His films are known for their large scale, strong emotional moments, visual presentation and carefully built stories. Baahubali and RRR did not depend only on the popularity of their lead actors. The director's name became a major part of the film's identity. RRR also became a global success and won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Today directors like Sukumar and Sandeep Reddy Vanga have also created strong pan-India brands. Sukumar took Allu Arjun's Pushpa franchise to a massive level while Sandeep Reddy Vanga created huge attention with Arjun Reddy and Animal. Their success shows how powerful a director's vision can be.

However Rajamouli's position in the industry continues to be discussed differently. Even before Varanasi reaches theatres, reports about its business are creating headlines. Recent trade reports claim that the film's Andhra Pradesh and Telangana theatrical rights are attracting offers in the 300 crore range while another report put the possible business above 320 crore. These figures are trade reports and have not been officially confirmed by the makers.

This itself shows the value attached to the Rajamouli name. Varanasi has Mahesh Babu as the lead, so the film naturally has enormous star power. But the director's brand is also one of the biggest reasons for the expectations surrounding the project.

That brings us to an interesting question: can any hero or director completely replace Rajamouli's positio.

For now, it is difficult to compare these filmmakers directly because every director has a different style, audience and track record. Sukumar, Vanga and Rajamouli have all created successful films in their own ways.

But one thing is clear. Rajamouli has reached a stage where his next film itself becomes a major event. His name can create curiosity even before the complete story, trailer or songs are revealed.

With Varanasi coming next, the industry will once again watch closely. The film is expected to release worldwide on April 7, 2027.