Will Ustaad Bhagat Singh Be for Sreeleela What Gabbar Singh Was for Shruti Haasan?
- Harish Shankar’s Crucial Second Chance
- A Parallell With Shruti Haasan’s Gabbar Singh Journey
- Will History Repeat Itself for Sreeleela?
Sreeleela made her Telugu debut with Pelli SandaD in 2021, a HIT that instantly put her in the spotlight. Following the film’s success, she went on a signing spree, teaming up with major stars like Mahesh Babu, Ravi Teja, and younger actors such as Vaishnav Tej. However, despite the hype around her projects, only a handful turned out to be commercial successes. Her most recent release, Mass Jathara with Ravi Teja, also failed to make an impact at the box office.
With mixed results in Tollywood, Sreeleela is now testing waters in Bollywood. But back home, her next big bet remains Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, one of the most anticipated films in Telugu cinema. The team has reportedly completed shooting Pawan Kalyan’s portions and is currently filming the remaining sequences. The makers are aiming for a March 2026 release.
Harish Shankar’s Crucial Second Chance
This film marks director Harish Shankar’s second collaboration with Pawan Kalyan, after the cult blockbuster Gabbar Singh. The 2012 film not only revived Pawan Kalyan’s career but also rocketed Harish Shankar into the big league. However, despite directing several films afterward, none matched the massive success of Gabbar Singh. With Ustaad Bhagat Singh, Harish aims for a strong comeback of his own.
A Parallell With Shruti Haasan’s Gabbar Singh Journey
There is an interesting parallel that fans are now drawing.
In Gabbar Singh, Shruti Haasan played the female lead at a time when she wasn’t enjoying much success. She was even unfairly labeled an “Iron Leg” by some back then. Yet, Harish Shankar believed she was perfect for the role and cast her with full confidence. Producer Bandla Ganesh later revealed that he had doubts about her casting, doubts which Pawan Kalyan dismissed outright.
The result?
Gabbar Singh became a major comeback film for Shruti Haasan too.
Will History Repeat Itself for Sreeleela?
Now, the big question is
Can Ustaad Bhagat Singh also become Sreeleela’s comeback film?
After a string of underperforming movies, the young actress is in need of a strong commercial success to regain momentum in Tollywood. With a massive star like Pawan Kalyan, a director hungry to recreate his biggest triumph, UBS might be the project that changes her trajectory.
Whether Ustaad Bhagat Singh replicates the magic of Gabbar Singh for both the director and the actress, remains to be seen. But for now, the anticipation is only growing.
While Mythri Movie Makers are producing this film, Raashi Khanna along with Sreelela is also playing the female lead in the film. Devi Sri Prasad is composing music for this film, and promises to bring back the energetic Pawan Kalyan back with his foot tapping music.