Pawan Kalyan’s latest film Ustaad Bhagat Singh hit the screens today (March 19), much to the delight of his ardent fans. Directed by Harish Shankar, the action comedy is a remake of Thalapathy Vijay and Atlee’s 2016 blockbuster Theri. Ustaad Bhagat Singh features the ‘Power Star’ as a cop who fights the forces of evil. The film also stars Sreeleela and Raashii Khanna as the leading ladies and marks their first collaboration with the mass hero.
Interestingly, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is not the first remake of Pawan Kalyan’s illustrious career. He has previously starred in the retellings of successful Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil films. With Ustaad Bhagat Singh out in theatres, here is a look at his top five highest-grossing remakes and where to watch them.
1. Bheemla Nayak
- IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
- Director: Saagar K Chandra
- Streaming On: Jio Hotstar, Aha
- Worldwide Collection: Rs. 162.34 crore gross
Pawan Kalyan played a daring cop in the action drama Bheemla Nayak, a remake of the Malayalam hit Ayyappanum Koshiyum starring Biju Menon and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Much like the original film, the Telugu remake too centered on the ego clash between two volatile individuals over a misunderstanding. Bheemla Nayak featured Rana Daggubati in the role originally played by Biju Menon and marked his first collaboration with Pawan Kalyan.
Released in 2022, the film grossed nearly Rs 162 crore worldwide despite mixed reviews. Bheemla Nayak is available to stream for free on Jio Hotstar. It is also available on Aha, but one needs to subscribe to the platform to watch it.
2. Vakeel Saab
- IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
- Director: Venu Sriram
- Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video
- Worldwide Collection: Rs. 137.50 crore gross
A remake of the Amitabh Bachchan-led Bollywood courtroom drama Pink (2016), Vakeel Saab featured Pawan Kalyan as a lawyer and highlighted the importance of consent. The film also starred Nivetha Thomas, Anjali, Ananya Nagalla, and Prakash Raj.
Released in 2021, Vakeel Saab received rave reviews, with critics lauding the performances and the courtroom scenes. This helped the film, which was shot on a budget of Rs 80 crore, gross 137.50 crore worldwide and emerge as a major commercial success. Vakeel Saab is available to stream on Prime Video, but viewers need a subscription to watch it.
3. Gabbar Singh
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Director: Harish Shankar
- Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video, MX Player
- Worldwide Collection: Rs. 104 crore gross
Pawan Kalyan stepped into Salman Khan’s shoes for the Telugu remake of Dabangg (2012). Titled Gabbar Singh as an ode to Sholay’s iconic villain, the actioner featured the Tollywood star in the role of a ‘rowdy cop’ who locks horns with a local thug. The Harish Shankar-helmed biggie is best remembered for its punch dialogues and paisa vasool action sequences.
Released in 2012, Gabbar Singh earned Rs 104 crore on a budget of Rs 30 crore and emerged as a blockbuster. The film is available to watch for free on Prime Video and MX Player.
4. Katamarayudu
- IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
- Director: Kishore Kumar Pardasani
- Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video, MX Player
- Worldwide Collection: Rs. 97.5 crore gross
Pawan Kalyan’s 2017 release, Katamarayudu, was a remake of Ajith Kumar and ‘Siruthai’ Siva’s 2014 Tamil blockbuster Veeram. The film is centered around a selfless man who sacrifices his happiness for his four brothers. His world, however, is turned upside down when he falls in love with a woman named Avanthika (Shruti Haasan). The rest of the plot explores the events that unfold when he clashes with a powerful businessman, putting his life in danger.
Katamarayudu collected nearly Rs 97 crore worldwide against a budget of Rs 70 crore and turned out to be an average grosser. It is available to stream for free on Prime Video and MX Player.
5. Gopala Gopala
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Director: Kishore Kumar Pardasani
- Streaming On: Ariel XStream Play, Sun NXT
- Worldwide Collection: Rs. 88 crore gross
Pawan Kalyan played Lord Krishna in Gopala Gopala, the Telugu remake of Akshay Kumar’s OMG (2012), and impressed fans with his performance. The satirical comedy focused on Gopala Rao (Venkatesh), an atheist who lands in a difficult situation. His fortune, however, changes after the arrival of an unexpected guest (Pawan Kalyan). Released in 2015, Gopala Gopala was shot on a budget of 12 crore and earned Rs 88 crore worldwide. It is available digitally on Sun NXT and Ariel XStream Play
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