Bhola Shankar: Fans upset with Chiranjeevi for this reason

Many pointed to actors like Amitabh Bachchan, who have successfully transitioned into more nuanced roles as they aged, appealing to audiences with performances that reflected their life experiences.

By Sarvepalli Bhavana
Published: July 28, 2023 5:23 PM IST

Chiranjeevi, the veteran superstar of Telugu cinema, has found himself at the center of online trolling and criticism after the release of the trailer for his upcoming film, Bhola Shankar. Fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment, citing concerns over age-appropriate roles and the need for the actor to explore diverse characters. Bhola Shankar is hitting the screens on August 11th and has Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth in key roles. Also Read - Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi and other South Indian actors who bounced back stronger after back to back flops

Bhola Shankar, directed by Meher Ramesh, is the remake of the Tamil film Vedalam. The trailer of the film was released yesterday and it showcases Chiranjeevi in a larger-than-life action-packed avatar reminiscent of his earlier blockbuster hits. While the trailer received a mixed response from fans and critics alike, some of Chiranjeevi's dedicated followers expressed their frustration with the actor's apparent reluctance to explore roles more suited to his age and experience. Also Read - Vijay Deverakonda says Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi are beyond flops, 'They can do back to back flops and then...'

Social media platforms witnessed a surge in memes and discussions, with netizens poking fun at the actor's choice of roles and drawing comparisons with his contemporaries who have opted for more age-appropriate characters in their recent films. The hashtag #AgeAppropriateRolesForChiru started trending on Twitter, with fans sharing their creative suggestions for potential roles that would better suit the veteran actor's stature. Netizens and fans started questioning Chiranjeevi why is he not doing roles that suit his age, just like how Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan are doing. Also Read - Gadar 2 star Sunny Deol, Jailer superstar Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan and more: Indian film industry veterans proving age is just a number

Commenting on the situation, film industry analysts noted that while Chiranjeevi continues to enjoy an immense fan following, audiences are increasingly looking for content that resonates with reality and showcases the actor's maturity and versatility.

Chiranjeevi has always been admired for his charismatic screen presence and unparalleled energy, but his critics argue that a healthy balance between entertainment-driven roles and more realistic characters would elevate his craft further. They opined that exploring diverse roles and challenging scripts could potentially redefine his on-screen persona and cater to a wider audience base.

The actor's loyal fan base, however, remains steadfast in their support, defending Chiranjeevi's choices and expressing that he should have the freedom to choose the roles he enjoys playing. They also acknowledged that the trailer for Bhola Shankar was meant to cater to the mass audience, and the film might have more to offer than what was revealed in the initial glimpse.

As discussions continue to simmer online, industry experts believe that it is essential for actors of Chiranjeevi's stature to strike a balance between commercial entertainers and roles that showcase their versatility. While the trolling and criticism might be temporary, the larger debate about the responsibility of veteran actors in choosing age-appropriate roles remains pertinent.

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BySarvepalli Bhavana
Published: July 28, 2023 5:23 PM IST