RC17 launch: Chiranjeevi gives mahurat clap for Ram Charan-Sukumar film
Synopsis
The Ram Charan-Sukumar reunion is officially underway. RC17 kicked off in Hyderabad with Megastar Chiranjeevi giving the mahurat clap — a symbolic torch-pass for a collaboration backed by the legacy of Rangasthalam. With Anirudh Ravichander on music and Ratnavelu behind the camera, the technical firepower alone makes this one of Telugu cinema's most-watched projects.
Key Takeaways
RC17 officially went on floors with a pooja ceremony in Hyderabad on 1 November 2026 .
Megastar Chiranjeevi gave the mahurat clap and performed the coconut-breaking ritual to bless the film.
The film is directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers .
Composer Anirudh Ravichander and cinematographer Ratnavelu are confirmed as part of the technical crew.
This is the second collaboration between Ram Charan and Sukumar, following the 2018 blockbuster Rangasthalam .
Ram Charan and director Sukumar officially launched their much-anticipated collaboration, tentatively titled RC17, with a grand pooja ceremony in Hyderabad on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The film's mahurat was marked by the presence of Megastar Chiranjeevi, who gave the ceremonial clap and performed the auspicious coconut-breaking ritual to bless the project.
The Mahurat Ceremony
Videos shared by the production house, Mythri Movie Makers, on their official social media handles captured the highlights of the occasion. Ram Charan arrived at the venue, greeted the team, and lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the commencement of the film's journey. In a touching moment, the actor was seen touching his father Chiranjeevi's feet, after which the father-son duo shared a warm embrace.
The makers captioned the moment: 'The journey of #RC17 begins with the MEGA CLAP... Megastar @chiranjeevikonidela garu sounded the clapboard and blessed the entire team of #RC17.'
Industry Names in Attendance
The ceremony was attended by several prominent figures from the Telugu film industry, including Ravi Shankar, Naveen Yerneni, Naga Vamsi, Rahul Sankrityan, Gopichand Malineni, Maruthi, Buchi Babu Sana, Vamsi Nandipati, and Harish Shankar, among others, reflecting the high-profile stature of this project.
Technical Crew and Key Details
On the technical front, celebrated cinematographer Ratnavelu will handle the visuals, while composer Anirudh Ravichander has been confirmed to score the film's music. The rest of the cast and crew details remain under wraps for now. The film was first announced by Ram Charan in March 2024, when he shared a photograph with Sukumar to confirm their reunion.
The Rangasthalam Legacy and Sky-High Expectations
RC17 marks the second collaboration between Ram Charan and Sukumar, following their 2018 blockbuster Rangasthalam, which also starred Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the female lead. Rangasthalam was a massive commercial and critical success, setting a high bar for this new project. Given that pedigree, expectations surrounding RC17 are already sky-high among fans and industry watchers alike. This comes amid a strong run for big-budget Telugu cinema on the national stage, making the Charan-Sukumar reunion one of the most closely watched projects in the industry's pipeline.
Point of View
While Ram Charan's RRR took the franchise global. The question this collaboration raises is whether the intimacy of Rangasthalam, a grounded rural drama, can be recaptured in a post-Pushpa, post-RRR landscape where scale and spectacle have become audience expectations. Anirudh Ravichander's involvement adds a cross-demographic pull, but the real creative test will be whether Sukumar and Charan resist the pressure to go bigger and instead go deeper.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RC17 and who is directing it?
RC17 is the working title for Ram Charan's next film, directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers. The film officially launched with a pooja ceremony in Hyderabad on 1 November 2026.
Why did Chiranjeevi give the mahurat clap for RC17?
Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan's father and one of Telugu cinema's biggest stars, was the chief guest at the RC17 pooja ceremony. It is a long-standing tradition in Indian cinema for a senior, respected figure to give the mahurat clap to bless a new production.
Who is composing the music for RC17?
Anirudh Ravichander has been confirmed as the music composer for RC17. Celebrated cinematographer Ratnavelu will handle the film's visuals; the rest of the cast and crew details have not yet been disclosed.
What was Ram Charan and Sukumar's previous collaboration?
Ram Charan and Sukumar previously worked together on Rangasthalam in 2018, which also starred Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The film was a massive commercial and critical success, making RC17 one of the most eagerly anticipated Telugu films in the pipeline.
When was RC17 first announced?
Ram Charan announced RC17 in March 2024 by sharing a photograph with director Sukumar on social media. The film went on floors in November 2026 after completing pre-production groundwork.
