The Telugu film industry is currently abuzz with revelations from editor Shameer Muhammed regarding his experience working on the Ram Charan-starrer "Game Changer," directed by Shankar. In a recent interview, Muhammed described his time on the project as "horrible," citing issues with the director's working style and the overall production process. This comes after the film already faced mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office following its release on January 10, 2025.
Shameer Muhammed, known for his work in Malayalam cinema, including films like "Charlie," "Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM)," and "Narivetta," was initially brought on to edit "Game Changer." However, he ultimately left the project due to the difficulties he encountered. According to Muhammed, Shankar's scheduling was erratic, with the director frequently delaying editing sessions. He stated that Shankar would fix a date for editing but then arrive ten days later, a pattern that forced Muhammed to spend an extended period in Chennai, totaling 300-350 days.
Beyond scheduling conflicts, Muhammed revealed the sheer volume of footage he had to work with. The initial cut of "Game Changer" was a staggering 7.5 hours long. Muhammed managed to trim it down to 3 hours before ultimately deciding to leave the project. Following his departure, Ruben took over as the film's editor, with Shankar further shortening the runtime to the final theatrical version of 2 hours and 45 minutes. This raises questions about the efficiency of the production and the amount of unused footage.
Muhammed's exit was also driven by the impact the project was having on his career. He reportedly had to pass on two or three other film offers due to his commitment to "Game Changer" and Shankar's protracted and, in his view, "archaic" working methods. This highlights the significant personal cost Muhammed faced due to the challenging work environment.
Interestingly, Muhammed is not the first member of the "Game Changer" team to express concerns about the film's production. Writer Karthik Subbaraj previously mentioned that his original storyline was altered by multiple writers brought in by Shankar, leading to confusion and a lack of coherence in the final product. It appears the core issue was the lack of a concrete script.
Adding to the film's woes, "Game Changer" faced hurdles even before its release. Lyca Productions, the producers of "Indian 3," reportedly requested that the Tamil Film Producers Council halt the Tamil release of "Game Changer" until Shankar completed "Indian 3." These issues, stemming from delays in the production of "Indian 3" and disagreements between Shankar and Lyca Productions, further complicated the release of "Game Changer." There were also reports of the cancellation of a grand promotional event in Chennai due to these ongoing tensions.
Furthermore, there were speculations that both Ram Charan and director Shankar took a pay cut due to the film's extended production delays and scheduling challenges. While these claims remain unconfirmed, they suggest the financial strain and compromises made during the making of "Game Changer."
Following the film's release, both critics and audiences gave mixed to negative reviews. Shankar himself admitted that he was not fully satisfied with the final product, acknowledging that many good scenes were trimmed due to time constraints. He stated that the initial runtime exceeded five hours, necessitating significant cuts to make the film more commercially viable.
The issues surrounding "Game Changer" highlight the challenges and complexities of large-scale film productions. From scheduling conflicts and creative differences to external pressures and post-production compromises, numerous factors can impact the final outcome of a film. Shameer Muhammed's candid account provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the difficulties encountered during the making of "Game Changer," adding another layer to the film's already troubled narrative.
