S Gopal Reddy made his venture in to the film industry as a producer in 1980. He then launched the production house Bhargava Creations on the name of his son. Later, he got the opportunity to taste success with some dubbing and quite a number of direct films in Telugu.
Many a success stories were juxtaposed with the films he made, in the winning combination of the hero Balakrishna & director Kodi Ramakrishna. The trio had smashed the box office with various slick hits.
A few years back, Gopal Reddy grandly launched a huge folk film at Lalitha Kala Thoranam, with Balakrishna as hero and Pooja Batra as heroine which was to be directed by Kodi Ramakrishna.
Mammoth sets were erected for this project which was created at Ramoji Film City at the initial stage. Even before the first schedule was canned, the actor Balakrishna made suggestions to the producer to replace Kodi Ramakrishna and make the movie with another director for some untold reasons. Gopal Reddy however, did not agree to this proposal made by him. Consequently the shooting reached an abrupt halt.
The producer was almost buried unable to bear the rental-bills for the sets of this film which was erected in Ramoji Film City for a whole year. At the verge of collapsing due to the heavy loss, Gopal Reddy made a talk with Balakrishna. He expressed his consent to change the director and continue with the filming. The hero put forth the name of CV Rao to direct the movie which was in mid air.
Director C.V.Rao wanted to re-start the film who has his own ideas was adamant to re-construct the sets newly as the set made formerly are not suitable for his film. However, Gopal Reddy was not ready to yield as he is already at a great loss in sustaining this set. He further stated the reason that a part of the film has already been canned with the set and it would not be possible to carry out any further expenditure. Consequently, the director departed from the project.
The outcome was the huge and prestigious project of a folk script based story reached a permanent end. The industry people recalls it even today, and says that by that time the producer has already invested 7 crores on the project and it was a severe blow which could not be recovered.
The producer S Gopal Reddy who did not make any films further past this project with Balakrishna underwent treatment at a Chennai hospital for the past one month and breathed his last on the 12th of this month.
