Actor Akshaye Khanna will soon debut in Telugu. He will play a pivotal role in the first female superhero film in the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU), Mahakali.

Though the source, close to the film’s unit, is mum on whether his character is an antagonist or a positive one, they tell HT that, “All we can reveal is that his role will add intrigue and depth to the growing PVCU universe. His role will span across multiple films in the franchise and will prove to be an exciting addition. We’re hoping Mahakali is received as well as HanuMan (2024) was.”

The source also tells us that the film is yet to go on floors, as Prasanth, who conceptualised the film, and director Puja Aparna Kolluru are working on finalising the cast and other details.

“Prasanth is particular about who he wants to cast as the lead because this will be his first female superhero, and it requires a certain charm while challenging beauty standards. Hopefully, all details will be ironed out soon, and the film will officially be rolled out,” says the source.

PVCU was kicked off last year with Teja Sajja’s superhero film HanuMan, based on Lord Hanuman’s lore. A sequel to it, Jai Hanuman with actor Rishab Shetty, is in the works. Mahakali is the third superhero film in the franchise, based on Goddess Kali.

Prasanth spoke to HT about the film, last year in October after the film’s announcement, and had said, “Casting a big star to play Mahakali is no longer challenging, but that’s not the point. When the film is being made to challenge beauty standards, I want to ensure we do our bit not to propagate it, too.”