The excitement surrounding SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu’s upcoming epic adventure, currently titled SSMB29, continues to mount as the production progresses. After kicking off in January with initial filming in Hyderabad, the crew transitioned to Odisha, where Priyanka Chopra Jonas joined the shoot, marking a significant development in the film’s journey. Another major addition to the cast is Prithviraj Sukumaran, who has confirmed his participation, putting to rest any rumours about the film being a multi-part saga. It is, in fact, a single, standalone narrative.
While these developments have thrilled fans, not all casting rumours have held up under scrutiny. Earlier this year, speculation emerged that veteran actor Nana Patekar was cast in a key role, reportedly as Mahesh Babu’s father—a character said to play a major influence on the protagonist’s arc. According to reports, Patekar had even undergone a look test for the part. But when an entertainment portal reached out to him directly, the actor curtly responded, “No”.
Interestingly, prior to Patekar’s denial, a well-placed source had shared details suggesting otherwise. The insider claimed that Rajamouli had personally visited the actor’s farmhouse in Pune last year to narrate the script. The conversation between the two, as described, was thorough and rich with creative exchange. However, despite the filmmaker’s enthusiasm, Patekar reportedly declined the role, feeling it lacked the depth he seeks in a character. “Rajamouli was very keen on casting Nana Patekar for a pivotal part in his film with Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra. The filmmaker had travelled from Hyderabad to Patekar’s farmhouse in Pune to narrate him the script. The duo, in fact, had an interesting exchange of inputs but then Patekar said that this isn’t something he wants to do,” the source shared.
The role, according to this insider, came with a substantial financial offer. The production team was allegedly willing to pay Patekar around Rs 20 crore for just fifteen days of shooting. Despite the lucrative terms, the actor reportedly chose to walk away, unwilling to commit to a role that didn’t excite him creatively. “The money offered was close to an unprecedented Rs 20 crore. And he had to only shoot for about 15 days. But he felt that the role wasn’t something that he wanted to sink his teeth into,” the source explained.
Still, the door for future collaboration appears to remain open. Though he turned down this opportunity, Patekar has reportedly expressed a desire to work with Rajamouli at some point down the line. Whether that materialises remains to be seen, but for now, the veteran actor stands firm in his denial, stating that he was neither approached nor rejected the role in SSMB29.
