Before KGF changed the scale of Kannada cinema globally, director Prashanth Neel had already planned a very different film under the Hombale Films banner, a project titled Ahvana, meant exclusively for Puneeth Rajkumar.

In a recent interview, Prashanth Neel, talking about his upcoming film, Dragon with Junior NTR, revealed that his first collaboration with Hombale Films was not for KGF, but for this emotional family drama. The story, unlike his later rugged action films, was designed as a sensitive, character-driven narrative centred on human emotions and relationships. It was conceived specifically with Puneeth Rajkumar in mind, and Prashanth Neel has said that no other actor could have suited the role the same way.

However, despite the strong creative intent, the project never took off. According to Prashanth Neel, scheduling issues became the biggest hurdle. Puneeth Rajkumar had already committed to several films, and aligning dates proved impossible at that time. As a result, Ahvana remained on paper and never moved into production.

Prashanth Neel later shared that when he approached Hombale Films again, he narrated a scene from what would eventually become KGF. That idea impressed the team and marked the beginning of a new cinematic journey, one that went on to redefine Kannada cinema at a global level.

Reflecting on Ahvana, Neel has expressed a deep emotional connection to the project, stating that it was written entirely for Puneeth Rajkumar. After the actor’s untimely demise in 2021, the director admitted that the film effectively went with him, as no replacement could do justice to the role envisioned.