Upendra-starrer Kabzaa was released in 2023. The Kannada-language period gangster action thriller film was directed by R Chandru.
In his latest interview, Chandru has claimed that several shots in Pawan Kalyan's OG are inspired by Kabzaa. He specifically mentioned a couple of Katana-wielding and close-up eye shots in the trailer of OG. While saying so, he respectfully added that creativity is a process that derives inspiration from different sources.
Kabzaa, however, was a box office flop and its aesthetics and narrative style were heavily inspired by the KGF movies. The film's story centers on Arkeshwara (Upendra), the son of a freedom fighter. Due to unavoidable circumstances following the killing of his elder brother by a local gangster, Arkeshwara is forced into the underworld. Pawan Kalyan's OG, directed by Sujeeth, was a hit at the box office. It co-starred Emraan Hashmi, Priyanka Mohan, Sriya Reddy, Prakash Raj, and others.
