If you want an example of a spectacular debut misfire, look no further than ‘Akhil’. The movie was supposed to launch and catapult Akhil Akkineni to stardom. But what happened is something very different. It ended up making Naga Chaitanya more popular than Akhil, something that was unthinkable just 6 months ago!
The decision to go with V.V.Vinayak was taken by Akhil and almost everyone has faulted him for this. The idea was to get a mass hero image from the very beginning. But with this plan going wrong, Akhil has withdrawn into a shell of sorts. He has not formally okayed or announced his second film. He is listening to a lot of stories but nothing is getting an approval.
Sources say that Akhil has become quite scared about giving the green light for a film. Confusion is the reigning emotion in his mind right now. Should he say yes to another mass director? Should he go for a romantic director like Goutha Menon? If he ditches his attempts to become a mass hero, what will people say? If he attempts a mass film once again and fails, what will happen then?
The situation has become so serious that Nagarjuna has reportedly stepped in to counsel Akhil and takeover the process of green lighting the second movie. Sources say that Nag has already identified a few directors and a formal announcement could be out soon.