They Call Him OG (or simply OG) is a gangster action film starring Pawan Kalyan in the lead role, which was released in theatres on September 25, 2025. Now, Kannada film director R. Chandru has alleged that OG was inspired by his movie Kabzaa, which starred Upendra.
R Chandru alleges that OG is inspired by Upendra starrer Kabzaa
Speaking with the YouTube channel News Hunt, R. Chandru said, “Take a look at some scenes in the OG trailer, and see how they are similar to my film Kabzaa… they are surely inspired by it. It’s good-we should all feel inspired by certain things… It’s something to be happy about.”
“Everyone is praising those shots in OG, but I used similar shots in Kabzaa four years ago. At the time, no one noticed,” the filmmaker added.
The director’s comments have sparked a stir online, with netizens weighing in on the comparison. Interestingly, Kabzaa had earlier faced backlash due to its apparent similarities with the KGF franchise, which starred Yash.
More about Kabzaa
Kabzaa, starring Upendra in the lead, is a Kannada-language gangster action film that was released on March 17, 2023. It tells the story of Arkeshwara, an air force officer who, after suffering a personal loss, enters the underworld and finds himself surrounded by enemies.
In addition to the Coolie actor, the movie featured an ensemble cast including Kichcha Sudeepa, Shriya Saran, Sudha, Murali Sharma, Nawab Shah, Suneel Puranik, John Kokken, Dev Gill, Kabir Duhan Singh, and many others. Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar also made a cameo appearance.
Though the flick was a box office failure, a sequel was announced at the time, despite the underwhelming response.
About Pawan Kalyan’s OG
They Call Him OG is a Telugu-language gangster action drama starring Pawan Kalyan and directed by Sujeeth. The film revolves around Ojas Gambheera, aka OG, a former gangster who once ruled the streets of Bombay.
After stepping away from the world of crime, Ojas is forced to return to settle scores with a ruthless crime lord named Omi Bhau. With Emraan Hashmi as the prime antagonist, the movie also features Priyanka Arul Mohan, Arjun Das, Sriya Reddy, Prakash Raj, Abhimanyu Singh, Sudev Nair, and more in pivotal roles.
OG is set in the same cinematic universe as Prabhas-starrer Saaho, a connection that is expected to be further explored in an upcoming film starring Nani, also directed by Sujeeth.
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