Chiranjeevi on comeback trail

His aides say by returning to the silver screen early next year,Chiranjeevi wants to boast his mass appeal. All this is a build-up to the next elections,they say. To improve his partys fortunes,Chiranjeevi also cosied up to the Congress.

He may not have been a hit in politics but he is still the megastar of Telugu films. He is likely to play the role of an angry farmer opposing the construction of a large dam that would displace him. The film is designed to counterbalance Chiranjeevis stand on the Polavaram Dam coming up in West Godavari district. Chiranjeevi,who has been batting for the project,even met central leaders to get it the status of a national project.

After the partys dismal performance in the 2009 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,Chiranjeevis image as a political leader nose-dived. The partys fortunes fluctuated with key leaders quitting and attrition among party workers. There was even speculation that Chiranjeevi might disband the party altogether. But,like the punch line in many of his films,Chiranjeevi does not give up easily.