The ‘Baahubali’ films, directed by S.S. Rajamouli, have brought Telugu cinema international recognition. The upcoming ‘Baahubali: The Epic,’ a combined version of both films, will have a runtime of 5 hours and 27 minutes. Yet, an even lengthier film exists within the Telugu film industry.
‘Daana Veera Soora Karna,’ released in 1977, is the film in question. This mythological Telugu film features N.T. Rama Rao, who played the roles of Karna, Duryodhana, and Krishna, while also handling the writing and directing. The film’s extensive runtime is 9 hours and 53 minutes, dwarfing the runtime of ‘Baahubali: The Epic.’
‘Daana Veera Soora Karna’ had a budget of 10 lakh rupees. It was re-released in 1994, with the rights sold for 60 lakh rupees. The film earned 1.5 crore rupees during its initial release in 1977 and 1 crore rupees in 1994. The total collection reached 2.5 crore rupees, making it the sixth-longest film in India.