A commercial dance number featuring one of Telugu cinema’s biggest actresses could easily have been a major talking point of Lenin. For now, the filmmakers have decided to drop the song altogether, choosing story over spectacle. Composer S. Thaman feels that this was a wise decision for the film, starring Akhil Akkineni and Bhayashri Borse. In a recent interview, Thaman revealed more about the initial plan of the makers to include a special song in the film, which was composed keeping the Rayalaseema slang and mass appeal in mind. The song was already composed, and there were talks to rope in a leading actress to perform it.
In an interview with YouTuber Rajesh Manne, the composer said actresses Rashmika Mandanna, Pooja Hegde and Kannappa actor Preity Mukhundhan were all in the running for the dance number. The song was expected to be a chartbuster and add commercial value to the movie. But in the last stage, the plans changed.
Akhil Akkineni and Bhayashri Borse in Lenin
Makers preferred story over commercial appeal
Thaman shared that as the edit and screenplay started taking shape, director Murali Kishor Abburu and the creative team felt the song was a disruption to the narrative, not an enhancement. The consensus was that it didn’t fit with the emotional and action-heavy flow of the movie. So, instead of putting it in for the sake of fan service, the makers decided to totally remove it before shooting.
It was a choice that reflected a growing trend among filmmakers, who seem more willing to sacrifice commercial formulas if it impacts the overall storytelling experience. The team opted for narrative consistency rather than risk being criticised for an unnecessary item number.
S. Thaman has composed the music of Lenin
Thaman was initially against it
Thaman himself has admitted he was disappointed when the song was dropped. He thought the track had all the ingredients to be a massive hit in music and found it hard to accept the decision in the first place. The composer even said that he quit the film’s official WhatsApp groups in frustration when he learned that the sequence had been cancelled.
But with time, the situation was resolved, and Thaman came to understand the logic behind the move. The composer later admitted that while the song may have been tremendously popular as a single, it might have been criticised for breaking up the flow of the film.
Directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, was released in cinemas on July 10. The story explores friendship, love, betrayal and revenge, while showing elements inspired by the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.