Is Anil Kapoor part of Suriya’s next Telugu film? Director Venky Atluri breaks his silence

Director Venky Atluri has addressed and dismissed rumors linking Anil Kapoor to his upcoming Telugu film. The filmmaker clarified that he has neither approached nor spoken to the Bollywood star, stressing that the reports are untrue.“We haven’t even approached Anil Kapoor. I haven’t met him or even spoken to him over the phone. We don't know how these rumors started, hence these reports are false and baseless,” Atluri told Deccan Chronicle.Excited to collaborate with SuriyaWhile putting the speculation to rest, the director confirmed the film’s leading man — Tamil superstar Suriya. Atluri, known for films like Sir with Dhanush and Lucky Bhaskar with Dulquer Salmaan, expressed his excitement about joining forces with the actor.“I’m truly excited to work with such a talented actor,” he said, adding that this collaboration marks an important milestone in his career as he takes on a big-ticket production headlined by one of South cinema’s biggest names.Why Anil Kapoor’s name came upThe rumor mill likely gained momentum given the recent influx of Bollywood actors into Telugu cinema. Icons like Amitabh Bachchan (Kalki 2898 AD), Sanjay Dutt (Double iSmart), Saif Ali Khan (Devara), Bobby Deol (Hari Hara Veera Mallu), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Saindhav), and Akshay Kumar (Kannappa) have all taken up significant roles in big-budget Tollywood projects.With the speculation now dismissed, attention has shifted back to Atluri’s much-anticipated collaboration with Suriya. The project has already generated buzz among fans and trade circles and is expected to begin filming soon.