The highly anticipated period action drama "Hari Hara Veera Mallu," starring Pawan Kalyan, has faced numerous hurdles, including financial constraints that reportedly led the actor to forgo a portion of his fee. The film, directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and later A.M. Jyothi Krishna, has been in production since 2020, experiencing delays due to the pandemic and Pawan Kalyan's political commitments.

Recent reports suggest that Pawan Kalyan even returned ₹11 crores ($1.2 million) of his advance to producer A. M. Rathnam to alleviate financial pressures. Industry insiders have indicated that the rising interest on loans further contributed to the financial strain, prompting Pawan Kalyan to agree to a pay cut and act as a guarantor to keep the project afloat.

Director Jyothi Krishna revealed that the film's budget has exceeded ₹250 crore. He highlighted a significant action sequence set around the historic Bandhar Port, requiring two years of VFX work to recreate the 16th-17th century setting. According to Jyothi Krishna, this sequence depicts the British looting India, with Pawan Kalyan's character confronting them, promising a tear-jerking cinematic experience.

Adding to the production's complexities, A.M. Rathnam faced legal claims from Asian Enterprises, seeking INR 2.60 crore with interest for a refundable advance on a previous film, "Oxygen," and from Mahalaxmi Films, seeking INR 90 lakhs related to two other films. The Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce has requested "Hari Hara Veera Mallu" distributors to assist in recovering these funds before the film's release in the Nizam region.

Despite the challenges, the filmmakers are actively promoting "Hari Hara Veera Mallu." A temporary hike in ticket prices was approved in Andhra Pradesh for the first 10 days after release, with multiplex tickets potentially increasing by INR 200 and single-screen upper-class seats by INR 150. For premiere shows, a price increase of INR 600 (excluding GST) has been allowed.

"Hari Hara Veera Mallu" is set during the Mughal era and follows Veera Mallu, an outlaw tasked with stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond from Emperor Aurangzeb. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, Nora Fatehi, Satyaraj, and Anupam Kher. M.M. Keeravani composed the soundtrack, while Gnana Shekar and V.S. Manoj Paramahamsa handled the cinematography.

Jyothi Krishna also mentioned that Pawan Kalyan underwent martial arts training for the film and recorded a folk song titled "Maata Vinaali". Pawan Kalyan reportedly watched the film three times and appreciated it, expressing his desire to collaborate with Jyothi Krishna again.