Prabhas reveals he almost rejected Prashanth Neel's Salaar: 'We liked each other but...'

Prabhas revealed he almost turned down the opportunity to work with Prashanth Neel. The two are all set to enthrall the audience with Salaar which is slated to hit screens on December 22. Read on to know an interesting anecdote about how Salaar came to fruition.

Hyderabad: Prabhas and Prashanth Neel were on the brink of not collaborating if it hadn't been for the intervention of the producer of their upcoming film. Prabhas, known for his pan-India superstardom post the monumental success of Baahubali, and Prashanth, acclaimed for his directorial brilliance in the blockbuster KGF: Chapter 1 and 2, were a highly anticipated duo to join hands for Salaar. However, Prabhas recently revealed that this collaboration almost didn't come to fruition.

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Prior to the release of Salaar, the film's makers unveiled an hour-long conversation between Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Prashanth Neel, and SS Rajamouli. In this discussion, Rajamouli asked Prabhas about the gratification of being chosen by a prominent director like Prashanth.

"Prashanth was a hot property," Prabhas acknowledged, having heard nothing but praise for KGF wherever he went. Upon watching the film, he comprehended the allure behind Prashanth's work. Recounting how Salaar happened, Prabhas revealed receiving a call from Prashanth expressing interest in meeting. Although they did meet, neither brought up the topic of collaboration initially.

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Prabhas described Prashanth as a gentle soul who adores his actors, making it crucial for him to bond personally before committing to a project. Following their first meeting, neither discussed working together, but "luckily the producer helped us. We liked each other but did not call after first meeting. Suddenly one day Pramod (Prabhas' cousin) got a call about Prashanth wanting to direct a film with me."

After the call, Prabhas and Pramod thought for an entire day about how to decline the offer with Prashanth. They knew the film with Prashanth would be a big-ticket project. Considering Prabhas was already committed to two major films, Adipurush and Kalki 2098 AD, they felt it would be difficult to squeeze in film with Prashanth in the tight schedule.

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"I was worried the next day thinking if fans get to know that I said no to Prashanth Neel for whatever reason, they will kill me," confessed Prabhas. Seemingly, the overwhelming support of his fans ultimately led Prabhas to accept the offer to work with Prashanth Neel.

For Salaar, Prabhas dedicated 112 days to filming, which commenced on January 29, 2021. This upcoming venture, backed by Hombale Films, stands as a duology. This action-packed drama marks Prabhas' return to the silver screen post the Adipurush setback. Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is poised to hit theaters on December 22 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.