When Megastar Says No To The Family Man!

“The Family Man” needs no introduction to those who follow the OTT space. Manoj Bajpayee’s portrayal of Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class man leading a double life as an intelligence officer in the fictitious Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC) of the National Investigation Agency, has resonated with audiences. Surprisingly, Megastar Chiranjeevi was the first choice to play the role.

Originally envisioned as a film by its creators, Raj & DK, “The Family Man” was initially intended to feature Chiranjeevi in the lead role. Producer Ashwini Dutt revealed in a recent interview that Raj & DK were prepared to transform “The Family Man” into a Telugu film, starring Chiranjeevi in the central role and even considering omitting the child characters from the narrative.

Unfortunately, these plans were dashed as Chiranjeevi declined the opportunity, as the Megastar wasn’t inclined to join the project and ultimately rejected the script. Raj & DK had reportedly tailored the screenplay with Chiranjeevi in mind for the protagonist’s role. The actor’s reservations stemmed from concerns about his fans accepting him in the role of a father to two children.

Despite Raj & DK’s willingness to revise the script and exclude the children’s characters, the collaboration with the megastar didn’t come to fruition. This happened when Chiranjeevi had just achieved success with “Khaidi No 150.”