Director Sekhar Kammula, renowned for his sentimental love stories, has a place in hearts with his political drama Leader. AVM Productions made the 2010 release, which saw actor Rana Daggubati debut. While Leader did not set box office records when it was released, its realistic approach to politics and interesting story won over the critics and fan base equally.
There has been anticipation of a sequel, Leader 2, for years now from the fans. But Kammula has always kept in mind the caution in confirming the project. At the recent promotions of his movie Kuberaa, the director spoke on the subject, confirming that while the notion of a sequel is indeed present, the changing political landscape holds significant telling challenges. He added that voters these days are more discerning and politicians have become more sophisticated, so writing a topical and effective political drama is about working through a detailed and delicate environment.
Kammula’s observations underscore the realities of today’s political landscape — where even offhand statements can set controversies ablaze and most disputes end up in courts. Public interpretation of political observations tends to result in misunderstandings, and debates about politics at public events occasionally lead to boycott calls.
Also, there’s the matter of Rana Daggubati’s changing image. Rana Daggubati’s debut as a lead hero was in Leader, and from there, he has since taken on villainous and supporting roles and spent a lot of time addressing his producing work in India. The soft-spoken, idealistic character he represented in Leader does not exactly mirror the kind of character he represents on screen now, thus, returning to the image he represented before will be difficult.
Given these factors, the likelihood of Leader 2 coming to fruition appears slim for now. Sekhar Kammula seems to be focusing on fresh, innovative projects like Kuberaa, which offer new creative opportunities without the constraints of political sensitivities.
