"Vijayendra Varma", slated for release Dec 15, is the second longest venture in the annals of Telugu cinema after "Anji".

The film, starring Balakrishna, son of legendary N.T. Rama Rao, has taken nearly 30 months to complete.

"But for the producer's determination we wouldn't have retained the passion for the project so long," says Swarna Subba Rao, debutant director of the film.

The film, with a patriotic theme, got stuck due to several reasons, including Balakrishna's accident and later a shoot out episode at the actor's house that created a sensation.

Instead of abandoning it as a jinxed project, industrialist-turned-producer Krishnam Raju persisted with it. He even went over-budget, saying he was confident.

Raju says he senses "excited anticipation" about the film.

In a few weeks the industry will know whether his optimism is warranted.