Dil Raju calls working with Shankar on Ram Charan's Game Changer a ‘wrong step': ‘It was my mistake….'

Indian Express

24-06-2025

Ram Charan's much-hyped collaboration with acclaimed director S Shankar failed to strike a chord with audiences and critics alike. Touted as a political action drama with massive scale and expectations, Game Changer struggled at the box office following its release earlier this year. Now, in a candid interview with M9 News, veteran Telugu producer Dil Raju has opened up about the turbulent journey behind the film. Shedding light on the behind-the-scenes challenges, Raju spoke openly about the complexities of working with high-profile talent.
'When making big films with big directors, 100% problems are going to come up, not only for me but for almost everyone,' Raju admitted, emphasising the unpredictable nature of such large-scale productions.
One of the more surprising revelations was about Ram Charan-starrer Game Changer's original length. Dil Raju confirmed earlier comments by editor Shameer Mohammed that the film initially ran well over seven hours in its rough cut. 'There was an editor's statement about Game Changer once having a runtime of four and a half hours. That is true, and such interference is bound to happen when working with big directors,' Raju acknowledged. The producer didn't shy away from taking personal responsibility for what went wrong. Reflecting on his decisions during pre-production, he called it a learning experience, and one that he owns up to. 'In my film career, I had never worked with such big directors like Shankar. Game Changer was my first wrong step. I should have clearly mentioned my points in the contract and moved into production, but I didn't. It was my mistake,' he confessed.
Also Read | Game Changer editor calls working with director Shankar a 'terrible' experience: 'He would turn up 10 days late'
Interestingly, just months after the release of the Ram Charan film, filmmaker-writer Karthik Subbaraj, who was once deeply grateful to director Shankar for allowing him to be part of the ambitious vision behind Game Changer, had claimed that the final story was entirely different from what he originally proposed. Subbaraj, known for writing and directing commercial successes like Pizza, the Jigarthanda franchise, and Petta, was credited with the storyline of Game Changer. However, in the wake of the film's disappointing box office performance, the filmmaker subtly distanced himself from the outcome, stating that the script and story were significantly altered due to the involvement of others.
Game Changer featured Ram Charan in a dual role, alongside a star-studded cast including Kiara Advani, Anjali, SJ Suryah, Srikanth, Sunil, and Jayaram. The film carried sky-high expectations, particularly as it marked Ram's first major release since his international breakout in SS Rajamouli's RRR. Despite the lukewarm response to Game Changer, Ram Charan's career momentum remains strong. He is currently working on Peddi, a sports-oriented action drama directed by Buchi Babu Sana. The film, co-starring Janhvi Kapoor, Shivaraj Kumar, Jagapathi Babu, and Divyendu Sharma, is slated for a theatrical release on March 26, 2026. Looking further ahead, Ram is also set to reunite with director Sukumar for a project tentatively titled RC17. The film marks their second collaboration after the blockbuster success of Rangasthalam.