Lakadbaggha, starring Anshuman Jha, Milind Soman and Ridhi Dogra, opened in cinemas last week to an underwhelming response. But that hasn’t deterred the makers from beginning work on its sequel. We hear Jacqueline Fernandez and Elli AvrRam are being brought on board for the second instalment of the franchise that focuses on an animal-lover vigilante.

The two actors have been chosen for their martial arts background. A source reveals, “Jacqueline started learning Mixed Martial Arts for Race 3 [2018], and has been practicing it since then. Elli, too, has trained in the form. The sequel will have a heavy dose of action, especially hand-to-hand combat scenes.”

Before the project rolls in May, Fernandez and AvrRam will undergo a month-long training with action directors Vicky Arora and Kecha Khamphakdee. “Beginning in April, they will be trained in Krav Maga. Kecha is a National Award-winning action director with Baahubali 2: The Conclusion [2017], and Ponniyin Selvan: I [2022] to his credit. Vicky and he are planning to take the action a few notches higher from the first instalment,” adds the source.

The central characters from the first edition will be retained in the sequel that will be shot in Indonesia and other parts of south Asia.