Not Sunny Deol but Jaat was first offered to Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna; Here's why he rejected it

Jaat starring Sunny Deol is an action flick that hit theatres on April 10, 2025. The film, directed by Gopichand Malineni, performed decently at the box office even though it started slowly. But did you know Sunny was not the first choice for Jaat? In a new interview, the filmmaker revealed that he pitched the film to Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, but he turned it down. 

Jaat was first offered to Nandamuri Balakrishna

In an interview with TeluguOne, Tollywood director Gopichand Malineni revealed that he initially offered Jaat to Nandamuri Balakrishna, who turned it down. He confirmed that Sunny Deol was not the first choice for Jaat and added that he pitched something else to Balakrishna before their 2023 hit Veera Simha Reddy. He said, “Yes, it’s a different story. Actually, the first story I thought of is now Jaat."

Don't miss Sunny Deol's blockbusters, such as Gadar, Gadar 2, Ghayal, and more on OTTplay Premium!

The filmmaker also said that he had two to three stories for Balakrishna. "After Akhanda, people had high expectations of him. And, of course, he knew that. I initially pitched him an idea, and he liked it. But after Akhanda was released, he thought it would be better if we did a faction film. I am a huge fan of Samarasimha Reddy and Narasimha Naidu, so we made Veera Simha Reddy," he added. 

Also Read: Sunny Deol's popular movie sequels to binge-watch on OTT while awaiting Jaat 2

About Jaat

Sunny Deol's Jaat opened with Rs. 9.5 crore at the box office, as per Sacnilk. After 21 days, the film has collected Rs. 86.85 crore in total as of now. The film is reportedly scheduled to be released on Netflix after its theatrical run ends. 

The OTTplay review for Jaat reads, "Jaat tries to pack a "Dhai Kilo" punch but lands more cringes than cheers. It's a Ramayana retelling where the audience is left digesting a violent mess in the name of mass."

Jaat centers on Varadaraja Ranatunga, a ruthless smuggler from Sri Lanka, who terrorises the coastal village of Ramayapatnam. Sunny Deol aka Jaat fights against Ranatunga's oppression to bring justice.

Nandamuri Balakrishna in Daaku Maharaaj

Meanwhile, Nandamuri Balakrishna was recently seen in Daaku Maharaaj. The film performed well at the box office. It centers on Sitaram, also known as Daaku Maharaaj, a vigilante who targets corrupt individuals. The action drama is directed by Bobby Kolli and also stars Bobby Deol and Urvashi Rautela.