Shocking! Tabu Lost a Chiranjeevi Mega Hit—Here’s Why

Veteran star Tabu has done very few films in Telugu. She has worked with big names like Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, and Balakrishna, and even shared screen space with Chiranjeevi in `Andarivaadu`. While she did two films each with Nagarjuna and Balakrishna, her friendship with Nagarjuna sparked many rumours. However, Nag always maintains that Tabu is his best friend and visits his home whenever she's in Hyderabad.

But here's a big 'what if' story. Tabu missed out on an industry hit with Chiranjeevi. If she had done that film, she would have become an unbeatable star in Tollywood, maybe even a 'Lady Superstar'. Her first Telugu film was `Coolie No. 1` opposite Venkatesh. After her blockbuster `Ninne Pelladatha` with Nagarjuna, she became the talk of the town in the Telugu industry.

At that time, Tabu was already a huge star in Bollywood and was extremely busy. This is why she couldn't accept many Telugu offers. During the making of `Coolie No. 1`, she got an offer to act with Chiranjeevi, who was the biggest star in Tollywood back then. Director K. Raghavendra Rao was making `Rowdy Alludu` with Chiranjeevi in a double role. Shobana was one heroine, but they were struggling to get dates from Divya Bharti for the second role.

The film's team really wanted Divya Bharti. But they worried that waiting for her would delay the movie and upset Megastar's fans. So, the makers decided to approach Tabu instead. Just as things were moving forward, Divya Bharti's dates suddenly became available. The team immediately went back to their first choice, and Tabu was dropped from the project. This is how she lost her first chance to work with Chiranjeevi. The film, `Rowdy Alludu` (1991), went on to become a massive industry hit.

If Tabu had starred in `Rowdy Alludu`, she might have settled in the Telugu industry and become a Lady Superstar. But she lost that chance because of Divya Bharti. Interestingly, another film starring Chiranjeevi and Tabu, titled `Bhooloka Veerudu` and directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, was also launched but later got shelved. Tabu's last major Telugu role was in Allu Arjun's `Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo`. Reports now suggest she will be seen in a key role in the upcoming 'King 100'.