Last week was all about applause for filmmaker S S Rajamouli as he showed the first glimpse of Varanasi at La Cinémathèque Française in Paris on June 27, marking its first presentation to the European audience. Now, the filmmaker is set to dive again into the shoot of the Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj-starrer. mid-day has learnt that beginning July 7, the leading man and the director will film one of the movie’s biggest war set-pieces, involving 3500 junior artistes, in Hyderabad.

A production insider revealed, “Preparations have been going on for weeks ahead of shooting the war sequence. The scale is unprecedented, even by Rajamouli’s standards.”

According to another insider, the shoot with 3500 junior artistes will only be the starting point. The sequence’s scale will be magnified at the VFX table.

The insider shared, “Thousands of performers will later be expanded digitally through VFX, resulting in an army that is several times larger on screen. The ambition is to create one of the biggest battle spectacles attempted in Indian cinema. We will see 50,000 vanars on screen.”

Varanasi is said to be a mythological action epic that follows the protagonist’s adventures across timelines.

Just one film into her career, Rasha Thadani is already looking South. The 21-year-old is set to make her South cinema debut with Srinivasa Mangapuram (Telugu), with the makers recently dropping behind-the-scenes footage on her birthday, offering a glimpse into her look from the film.

Excited about the response, Rasha says she has long been drawn to the scale and storytelling of South films. “I have loved watching South cinema, be it the films of Prabhas sir, Jr NTR sir, Mahesh Babu sir. I enjoy how all their movies are larger than life. It’s just so enjoyable to be a part of,” she says.

She also points to the influence of leading women in the industry. Rasha shares, “Even their female actors, be it Rashmika Mandanna or Sreeleela, they are all so inspiring. I am so grateful that I get to be a part of a project that belongs to that cinema. I hope all goes well.”

Up next, Rasha is gearing up for the release of her second film Laikey Laikaa, co-starring Abhay Verma. Calling it a significant step, the actor adds, “This film is going to be so important for me. The director Saurabh Gupta has written the dialogue for Animal (2023), and Abhay is very special. The film will surprise people and I hope it lives up to expectations.”

On November 15, S S Rajamouli finally let the audience into the grand world that he has been quietly building, as he unveiled the title of his next, Varanasi, at an event in Hyderabad. While the three-minute-plus teaser of the Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer has expectedly made headlines, the filmmaker is already focusing on the film’s next leg.

mid-day has learnt that a month-long schedule will kick off at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad next week. Heightened security measures and caution will drive the stint as the unit will film the climax.

Insiders say that Babu’s look being leaked hours before the official reveal left Rajamouli disappointed. It has made him bullish about keeping further details tightly under wraps. An insider from the production unit says, “The film will release in 2027 and all details will have to be guarded until then.”

As a result, the makers are tightening on-ground protocols in the next leg. A source reveals, “Many departments, including costume and hair, won’t be allowed near the core shooting area. Only 100 people of the 400-member team will be allowed. A no-phone policy for the crew is in place. Rajamouli sir wants absolute secrecy.”

Filmmaker S S Rajamouli’s next project — tentatively titled SSMB29 — has been making waves since it was first announced.

As anticipation grows, we have got our hands on the first pictures from the sets of the film, which features Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Mahesh Babu.

Mahesh was recently seen in Kenya, seemingly shooting a pivotal scene.

A close source to the production reveals, “Rajamouli has begun the shooting in Nairobi, Kenya with Mahesh Babu and Priyanka. The actors are currently shooting at hidden locations across the city, under strict surveillance. The crew isn’t allowed to bring their phones to the sets.”

The filmmaker is leaving no stone unturned to keep the details of the film under wraps, the insider says. “Even the actors’ vanities are parked around a kilometre away from the actual shoot location. Their entourages aren’t allowed outside the vanities. The atmosphere on set is very tightly guarded and quiet,” the source adds.

While our source tried to capture clearer photographs from the shooting floor, they were unsuccessful.

Announced earlier this year, the film went on floors in April, with parts of the film being shot in Odisha and Hyderabad. It also marks Priyanka’s return to Indian cinema after 2019’s The Sky Is Pink.

With a reported budget of Rs. 1,200 crore, the makers seem to be eyeing a 120-country release. As of now, a premiere date has not been set.

The Telugu Film Industry Employees’ Federation called for a strike on Monday, August 4, bringing film and web series shoots across Tollywood to a standstill. The federation is demanding a 30% wage hike for its members and has instructed workers not to report to sets unless producers agree to the revised rates.

In an official statement, the federation said, “Wages will be paid with a 30% hike starting Monday. Only those with written confirmation from producers will be permitted to shoot. Members cannot attend any shoots or events without federation approval, irrespective of location or language.”

In response, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce issued a statement condemning the unilateral action. “We’ve already been paying workers above minimum wage,” it noted, warning that the disruption could cause “heavy damages” to ongoing productions.

The Chamber added, “We condemn this action taken by the Federation as we have worked together with their members of decades. The Chamber is in talks with relevant authorities to secure a sustainable resolution. Producers are informed to follow the Chamber’s guidance strictly and avoid independent action or separate agreements with union until resolution. Let’s all stand together for lasting reform, for a better future.”

Tollywood has numerous films under production now, including Chiranjeevi’s yet-to-be-titled film with Anil Ravipudi, Ram Charan’s Peddi with Buchi Babu Sana, Balakrishna’s Akhanda 2 with Boyapati Srinu, Teja Sajja’s Mirai, Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s Telusu Kada and more. Also, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is in Hyderabad for S S Rajamouli’s SSMB 29, co-starring Mahesh Babu. Additionally, the pooja ceremony for Allari Naresh’s upcoming film was also postponed. With the new diktat that workers will only work with producers who will agree to the 30%, it remains to be seen if their demands are met.

In June, mid-day reported that filmmaker S S Rajamouli would take his Mahesh Babu-led action adventure, the working title of which is SSMB29, to Kenya for a month-long schedule (Kenya calling, June 24). But in the latest development, the plan has hit a roadblock amid the ongoing protests in Kenya. 

“Our team had done the recce, locations were finalized, but just weeks before the mid-July shoot, unrest began brewing in the region. We couldn’t risk the crew’s safety,” reveals a source associated with the film that also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran.

So, where will Babu’s character — a globe-trotting explorer on a quest for some rare artefacts, à la Indiana Jones — head to, with Kenya off the table? We’ve heard that Rajamouli and his team, keen to not waste time, are now planning to head to South Africa and Tanzania, locations that promise similar visual appeal. 

A unit member says, “Rajamouli sir was clear that he wanted terrains that have rarely been seen on Indian screens. Tanzania’s highlands and parts of South Africa ticked those boxes.”

The production team is currently in the process of securing permits. If things work out, the cast and crew will head to South Africa by the third week of July. “We’re hoping to lock everything in the next 10 days,” adds the insider.

S S Rajamouli’s action adventure, the working title of which is SSMB29, has taken him from Odisha to Hyderabad since it rolled last year. Now, the filmmaker and leading man Mahesh Babu have zeroed in on the next destination. Sources reveal that the director will begin an elaborate three-week schedule in Kenya in July. 

It has been learnt that the Kenya leg will feature some intense action sequences. A unit insider reveals, “Rajamouli sir chose the country because it has everything the film needs — savannahs, highlands, and dense forests.” The portions will be filmed across multiple locations, including the Tsavo National Park, the Aberdare National Park, and on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Also starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Priyanka Chopra, SSMB29 tells the story of a globe-trotting explorer on the quest for some artefacts. The production team has roped in stunt coordinators of the region to execute the action set-pieces.

The source adds, “Some sequences involve wildlife interaction, and combat in the jungle. Rajamouli sir has envisioned chase sequences in wildlife corridors, and ancient ruins.”

Interestingly, SSMB29 becomes only the second major Indian film after Ranbir Kapoor’s Jagga Jasoos (2017) to be shot extensively in Kenya.

When it comes to S S Rajamouli, spectacles are par for the course. So, it’s not surprising that the filmmaker is setting the stage for what is being described as “one of the most ambitious action sequences attempted in Indian cinema” for his next with Mahesh Babu, the working title of which is SSMB29. mid-day has learnt that Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran will kick off intensive prep and action training by the month-end before they face the camera for the elaborate action sequence that is set in a boat.

A source tells us, “The action block involves water, fire, and a whole lot of chaos. It will be mounted on a grand scale with the stunt choreography expected to match international standards. It will be shot throughout May and June. Close to 3000 people, including the leads, will begin the training later this month for it.”

After a two-week prep, the shoot will take place in Hyderabad. We’ve heard that the actors won’t be required to film the portions together.

The insider adds,  “Priyanka will film her parts first. Mahesh will join soon after, and Prithvi will lock a chunk of this before starting Daayra with Kareena [Kapoor Khan].”

Another crew member adds that Rajamouli has roped in international stunt coordinators for the film that has its roots in Indian mythology.

Earlier this week, pictures of Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran shooting for S S Rajamouli’s next, the working title of which is SSMB29, leaked online (Scene leaked from Rajamouli’s set, March 10). That has come as a blow to the filmmaker, who hopes to depict a novel world in his jungle adventure, also starring Priyanka Chopra. We’ve learnt that to combat any further breaches, the director has beefed up the security in the ongoing Odisha schedule. A three-layer security system has been put into place to man the 500-member crew that is filming at Talamali Hilltop in Koraput.

A senior member from the production, on condition of anonymity, said, “Rajamouli sir wants to maintain secrecy around the world that he is creating. As part of the three-tier security system, guards have been stationed at all entry and exit points to ensure that only authorized personnel can enter the set. The second layer involves the on-site monitoring, where crew members undergo additional checks. Another team mans the core filming location and all electronic devices, except walkie-talkies, are prohibited. Any leak, no matter how small, affects the film’s eventual impact.”

Till the month-end, Rajamouli of RRR (2022) and Baahubali fame will shoot on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar and in the forests of the state. With the open landscape posing challenges in controlling unauthorized access, the production team has stationed additional personnel of 35 around the location perimeter.

“Since the set’s location was leaked, local forest authorities have been roped in to keep intruders at bay. Actors have been requested to not share anything on social media until the official announcement,” the source added.

Under attack for her comments on the divorce of Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, Telangana Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday withdrew her remarks. Naga Chaitanya’s father Akkineni Nagarjuna, who criticised the minister on Wednesday, has now filed a defamation case against Surekha. In his complaint, Nagarjuna has alleged that the minister’s remarks damaged his family’s reputation.

Telangana Minister Konda Surekha on Wednesday stirred up a major controversy by alleging that opposition BRS leader K T Rama Rao was the reason behind Samantha and Chaitanya’s divorce in 2021. Reacting strongly to her comments, many south actors criticized the leader.

The statements made by Konda Surekha garu are irresponsible and baseless. Making vulgar public comments about respected individuals is shocking coming from an elected leader who holds public office. This kind of slander aims to destroy the fundamentals of our society. The film fraternity is together and will not tolerate such reckless behaviour aimed at us. #FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate

- Ram Charan

Extremely pained by the comments made by Minister Konda Surekha garu on fellow members of our film fraternity. As a father of a daughter, as a husband to a wife and as son to a mother... I am deeply anguished by the unacceptable remarks and language used by a woman minister on another woman. Freedom of speech can be exercised as long as it does not hurt other’s sentiments. I strongly condemn the cheap and baseless comments made.

- Mahesh Babu

Konda Surekha garu, dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy. It’s disheartening to see baseless statements thrown around carelessly, especially about the film industry. We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us.

- Jr NTR

Having accompanied a friend who was serving as an assistant director on Student Of The Year 2 (2019) to the set, Akshay Arora recalls having witnessed the manner in which food was being served to the cast and crew. “I saw that it was not an enjoyable situation,” recalls the chef, who subsequently arrived at the idea of creating vanity kitchens for those on set.

“Having been an athlete, I had a sense of nutrition, so we thought [of serving healthy meals on set].”

While several meal subscription plans have made their way to the market, Arora says his company is distinguished in the fact that the quality of ingredients they serve is superior. “I knew that the food that I would provide would be of the same quality that I would use to put something into my system. We set a benchmark in that aspect, and also spent a lot of time, effort, and money into research and development so that we could create healthy food that was also tasty,” says the chef, who was admitted to an international university for a course on real estate development, but began to also accompany his friend to culinary classes during his time spent there.

“We use different culinary techniques to make food more appetizing, and our passion kept pushing us to do better.”

A bevy of stars, including Sidharth Malhotra, Vicky Kaushal, Kartik Aaryan, Karan Johar, Kiara Advani, Rohit Saraf, Arjun Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor, Sobhita Dhulipala, Mahesh Babu, and Ram Charan, among others, have availed of his services. After having bagged his first client in Malhotra, he recalls having been approached by Kaushal’s team as the actor was “transforming [his physique] for several projects at the time”.

Arora often finds himself aboard such projects that require actors to undergo a physical transformation. “We need to subsequently be in touch with their coaches and nutritionists to help them meet the purpose of making [the actors] ready for the film.”

Unlike the standard meals provided to the cast and crew on set, Arora creates custom-made meals for each actor. “Because it is tailor-made, we need to understand everyone’s nutritional requirement. During the filming of Student Of The Year 2, Tiger Shroff was on a really strict diet, and we created dishes around his requirements. We have a nutrition department, where nutritionists understand the actor’s goals, and current lifestyle. We also have a culinary department that caters to an actor’s culinary palette, and focuses on creativity. Each one reacts to food in a different way. Nutrition, for the human body is like astrology—it depends on each person’s individual problem. After we understand what works for people, we then inquire about their preferences. For example, some clients may like street foods like wada pav, and we need to [cater to those needs]. We also have to keep track of their lifestyle, sleeping patterns, hormones, and age. Many of them get only three to four hours of sleep due to their erratic schedules.”

Ask him if catering to celeb clients who are vegetarian is as difficult as it is perpetuated, and he responds in the affirmative. “It gets difficult when the calorie allowance is set, which it usually is. So, if someone can only eat about 1,000 calories, it becomes difficult to add enough proteins because a majority of the vegan proteins have high amounts of carbs and fats [which increase the number of calories consumed]. But if you’ve got enough macros to play with, you can easily get a good amount of protein through a vegan diet.” 

A defining aspect of his job is ensuring his team meets the demands of his clients, who are “high-achievers”. “Every minute of their life is dedicated towards being productive in the space that they’re working in, so our life has to match that. If our client has a 4 am call time, our team has to wake up an hour earlier, and sleep an hour after the client sleeps, to ensure they are [served each meal]. Usually, the team dedicated to the client has to be on the same schedule that the client is on.”

Nag Ashwin is relieved with the response to the biggest film of his career, Kalki 2898 AD. It has raked in more than Rs. 500 crore in the first week at the box office.

Reacting to the response, he says, “A movie like this is beyond us. The ambition was bigger in the sense, there was a larger thing at stake than just us. Many makers were waiting for the result of this sci-fi film. If it didn’t work, it would have closed doors for more years.”

The 38-year-old was able to bring together a dream cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Kamal Hassan and Deepika Padukone for his directorial. Recalling how the production begun during the pandemic and it was “very difficult to get the finances” in place for the film, he shares, “Luckily, we did have the biggest star cast of our country, so we had a little bit of a cushion there. Plus the previous films we (the producers) have done together, worked, so there was goodwill on that front.”

One common feedback from the moviegoers has been that they found the first half of the sci-fi mythological drama, which heavily draws from Mahabharata, slow.

Ashwin is aware, “It has been a universal response that people found the first half slow, and it’s very valid. In a three-hour film if viewers liked two hours and 54 minutes, I will take that.”

As there are rumours that Mahesh Babu plays Lord Krishna in the film, ask him who does and he says, “This is how Krishna will be in the film. One of the first things I was very sure was we should have him in the silhouette, there should not be any form. Once you do that, you humanize him in a way. We didn’t want to humanize him.”

With its worldwide gross income breaching the Rs. 150 crore mark, Prasanth Varma’s mythological superhero film Hanuman (Telugu), starring Teja Sajja, Amritha Iyer and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, has proved to be a dark horse. The director, who mounted the production on a limited budget of R40 crores, vouches for the power of VFX when highlighting how technology enhanced it.

“We used VFX only when it was required to elevate the experience, because the focus was on evoking the right emotions. We planned the shoot such that the film appeared to be driven by VFX, even though that’s not the case,” says Varma, further addressing speculation on whether Chiranjeevi played a cameo as Hanuman in the movie.

“I couldn’t find the courage to ask Chiru sir to do so. Hence, I used VFX. I have modelled the eyes of Hanuman ji on Chiru sir’s face.”

Varma admits that he finds the reception to his film rather surreal. “Our initial opinion was that if we only recovered the money that was invested in the film, we’d have the chance to make one more film with that amount,” he laughs, and adds, “Now that the film has done well, we plan to make a Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe—one of our own desi superheroes; those deeply rooted in our culture.”

His next edition, he reveals, will be titled Jai Hanuman. “There will be interesting characters who will lead every story, including Indradev, and Parushuram ji. Each main character of Indian history and mythology [will be presented to] the current generation. In this universe, Hanuman is from Andhra Pradesh, and the other superheroes will be from places like Kerala, Meghalaya, and Kolkata. The idea is to bring different superheroes from different languages and places, and yet, it will be dubbed in Telugu.”

As many as 20 scripts, he shares, are currently being written for this endeavour. “As we want to showcase six superheroes in phase one, their stories are ready. They are part of a parallel universe called Akhanda Bharat. The stories for Jai Hanuman and two more films are ready. We can start three films at the same time, with three different directors and technicians. We want to give opportunity to new talent.”

Varma’s film managed to set the cash registers ringing, even though he claims he got less than a 10 per cent-share of seat allotment in theatres, given that the film clashed with Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram. “That was heart-breaking. But we were always confident about the film.”

Yes, 2023 has turned out to be a great year for Hindi films, with multiple hits coming in. But a crucial aspect related to films also underwent a sea change — we saw biggies turning to the south states for mega events, some deciding not to promote their film at all (we are looking at you, Shah Rukh, for Pathaan), and some (again, SRK) heavily promoting the film abroad. But the most significant evolution observed was the industry’s pivot towards engaging with the lucrative Southern markets. 

Considering the tough competition regional language films give to Hindi films, it was only a natural step for us to explore the South markets. Makers of Shah Rukh’s Jawan realized that for a film to be called pan-Indian, it definitely needs to be accepted in those states. And hence, they organized a live show at Sai Ram Engineering College in Chennai, with the entire cast in attendance.

Varun Gupta, the founder of Max Marketing and the brain behind the promotions of almost all big films in the northern belt, including Animal and Adipurush, explains, “Actors like SRK and Ranbir (Kapoor) need no introduction, but they need to grow an audience base in the South. The idea with Animal was that the Hindi-speaking audience loves Ranbir; they would love to watch him in a never-before-seen avatar. But audiences in different languages might not have seen all their films.”

A monumental shift was witnessed with the film Animal introducing an unprecedented pre-teaser marketing strategy previously unseen in Hindi cinema. The film gained support from renowned personalities like (filmmaker) S S Rajamouli and (actor) Mahesh Babu, indicating a collective industry effort towards extending its influence beyond conventional boundaries.

But Gupta feels not every film needs to practice this: “For me, as a marketing person, my job is limited till the opening weekend; I need to market the film in a way that people come in the first three days; after that, the content has to work. I am very proud that despite Adipurush not doing well ultimately, it still opened at around Rs. 37 crore.”

G Srinivas Rao, Managing Director of Shreyas Media (which is responsible for almost all promotions done in the Southern states), echoes Gupta’s sentiments, emphasizing the immense untapped potential of the Southern markets for Hindi filmmakers. He highlights the impact of localized promotions, citing instances like Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), which ventured into Vizag, Andhra Pradesh with large-scale events, targeting diverse audience segments.

Producer Ramesh Taurani, whose film Merry Christmas is set for release, also has plans for an event in Chennai. “We have made two films: one in Hindi, and the same in Tamil. In the both versions, only (actors) Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi are the same; the rest of the cast is from the respective film industries. We have a big event planned for the first week of January,” he tells us.

Prasad is more forthcoming about the film being Hollywood-bound. “The sequel will be done on a big Hollywood scale. Several people are eager to [team up]. There is a plan to tie up with a top Hollywood studio, and make it with international technicians. If we want a worldwide release, we have to do a co-production. You don’t get the theatres unless you have the major distribution chains. RRR didn’t get as good a theatrical release globally as we wanted.”

While the sequel’s plot has been finalised, it remains to be seen when it will roll. Up next for Rajamouli is the adventure drama with Mahesh Babu. “After that, my son will begin pre-production on Mahabharata, which will take four years to roll,” says Prasad.

Aren’t we all eagerly awaiting filmmaker S S Rajamouli and his writer-father K V Vijayendra Prasad’s next, after RRR’s global success and Oscar win? The veteran writer has spent over a year scripting the yet-untitled jungle adventure drama, which will feature Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu. Now, there might be another reason to look forward to the big-budget film. It turns out the project is along the lines of Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones film series, and is being envisioned as a franchise.

Sources reveal that Babu will be seen as a globe-trotting explorer on his quest for valuable objects. The premise sets the foundation for multiple adventures. “It is being developed as a franchise like the Indiana Jones series. However, unlike that franchise, this movie is set in the present day, with the story deeply rooted in Indian culture, mythology and history, as Vijayendra Prasad and Rajamouli’s projects usually are. The first film will be shot not only in India and Africa, but various countries as the character will be shown travelling around the globe,” shares a source.

A franchise was the last thing on Prasad’s mind when he sat down to write the adventure drama. All he had was a real-life incident that forms the film’s starting point.

The source adds, “As he continued writing the script, both the writer and director felt it could be developed into a franchise with the central character leading each edition. Other key characters could join him in the subsequent instalments, as he moves from one adventure to another. The father-son duo will give a narration to Mahesh after the script is finalised. For now, the plan is to announce the project on the actor’s birthday on August 9.”

When mid-day reached out to Prasad, he confirmed that they are contemplating making it a franchise. “It is along the lines of the Indiana Jones series. It will be an adventure-action drama, with lots of emotions, like Raiders Of The Lost Ark [1981]. My script should be complete by July, after which I will give it to my son. We hope to make it a franchise, but who knows? We are leaving the climax open-ended, thus exploring the possibility of a sequel.”

If things go as planned, Rajamouli will take it on floors by summer 2024.

Three days since his Oscar win, M M Keervaani’s atypical acceptance speech at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre still brings a smile to the faces of Indian fans. His uncle, K V Vijayendra Prasad, however, cuts a composed figure when discussing the musician’s win at the biggest awards night.

“When he was young, I was the one who would take him around to producers and directors to make him a music director. This victory is as much mine as it is his. I am so proud of what he has achieved today,” says Prasad, who also penned the film RRR, which bagged Keeravaani the Academy Award for Naatu Naatu.

Having witnessed the now-global track’s journey from when it was penned till it was filmed, Prasad says he knew it had immense promise, but never “in my dreams thought it would win the Oscar”. “Only in the last few months did we begin to feel that we had a chance,” he says, adding that when the news was announced, he “thanked our Guruji for his blessings” and “prayed for humility so that this win doesn’t go to our heads”.

The win has evidently reignited discussion about the film’s sequel. While team members Jr NTR, Ram Charan, and S S Rajamouli have all spoken about RRR 2 at Hollywood events, it was as early as March 2022 that Prasad had told this paper that the script had sufficient fodder for the making of another edition. At the time, the team was revelling in the film’s box-office success, and Prasad had said that part two could “be set outside India”. 

It was at the film’s success party that the director-writer duo knew that another edition was indeed warranted. “I had an idea that I shared with [Rajamouli]. He liked it, and now we will develop it. Both the lead actors will return for the sequel and will play the same characters.” 

With the attention of international audiences on the film, does he find the expectations attached with the next edition daunting? “I don’t live my life according to the expectations of others. I approach every script with a fresh and unique perspective. There is no pressure, only pleasure in writing stories.”

At the moment, however, he doesn’t intend to train his attention on the sequel. Prasad has his hands full with other film commitments, including Rajamouli’s next with Mahesh Babu. “Mahesh Babu’s script is my only priority right now, and nothing will steal my attention from it. I don’t feel any pressure to complete RRR 2, though it is underway,” he says of the action-adventure drama, apparently based on real-life events.

As though being part of two mammoth projects isn’t daunting enough, Prasad, 80, will also venture into direction in a matter of months. In fact, he has been restricting the writing offers coming his way to kick off his directorial venture, Bhagwa Dhwaj, by April 24. “However, nothing will be done until Mahesh Babu’s script is completed.”

Bhagwa Dhwaj is a big-budget historical drama that will trace the genesis of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He tells the story of the right-wing Hindu nationalist volunteer organisation, which was founded in 1925 by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. The Hindi film, he says, will be dubbed in several languages, and dramatized for the big screen. Even as we ask him when casting for the multi-starrer will commence, we already know the answer — “After Mahesh Babu’s script is ready.”

Filmmaker S S Rajamouli’s RRR has been making waves not only in India, but internationally as well. So it’s only natural that speculations of him being approached by Hollywood biggies such as Marvel boss Kevin Feige has been doing the rounds for some time now. In a new interview, Rajamouli addressed the claims, saying he has received many offers but has other commitments to wrap up first.

“There are a lot enquiries from Hollywood, but at present, I’m committed to doing a movie with (actor) Mahesh Babu, he’s a big Telugu star. I am committed to doing a film with him,” the filmmaker told Total Film in an interview.

Rajamouli went on, “But I would definitely like to learn so much from Hollywood, their style of working and their methodology. I’m seeing how we can collaborate and make it a richer experience.”

The filmmaker, who is currently busy with the promotion of his period drama in different parts of the world, had earlier expressed his love for Hollywood films including Braveheart (1995) and Ben-Hur (1959). He also said that someday, he would like to try making a Prince of Persia film adaptation.

Veteran actor Krishna died on Tuesday at a private hospital in Hyderabad, where he was undergoing treatment following a cardiac arrest. He was 79. Krishna, father of Mahesh Babu, was admitted to the hospital in the early hours of Monday. He was put on a ventilator and was being treated by a team of doctors. The actor died at 4 am on Tuesday, hospital sources said.

Ghattamaneni Sivarama Krishna, popularly known as Krishna, began his career in the early 1960s and acted in about 350 films. Krishna earned fame with his cowboy roles and by introducing advanced technologies in film-making. Noted celebrities from the film fraternity took to social media to express their condolences on the veteran actor’s demise.

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Veteran actor Krishna, known in the Telugu film industry as ‘Superstar’, died on Tuesday in Hyderabad, a day after he suffered a heart attack and was hospitalised. The Telugu film industry has been in grief after the news broke. Several stars such as Chiranjeevi, Allu Arjun and Vijay Deverakonda, among others, visited Krishna’s son, actor Mahesh Babu to offer condolences.

Veteran actor Rajinikanth took to Twitter to pay his tribute. He wrote, “The demise of Krishna garu is a great loss to the Telugu film industry … working with him in 3 films are memories i will always cherish. My heartfelt condolences to his family …may his soul rest in peace (sic).”

Deverakonda tweeted, “Less than a month ago I met a sweet man, held his hand while he spoke to me about watching me on TV and his fondness - he only knew me as Deverakonda.. A SuperStar that my parents loved and enjoyed watching on screen, he left in peace (sic).”

Actor Ram Charan shared, “Heartbroken to hear that Superstar Krishna Garu is no more. He was a legend whose journey will be remembered forever . My heartfelt condolences to my brother @urstrulyMahesh, his family and millions of fans (sic).”

His family issued a statement: “It is with the deepest grief that we inform you of the passing of our dearest Krishna garu. He was a superstar in so many ways beyond the movie screen... guided by love, humility and compassion.”

New Delhi: Movie stars from the south, especially Tamil and Telugu cinema, including Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu, Rashmika Mandanna, Samantha Prabhu, Prabhas and Vijay Deverakonda have overtaken some of the top Bollywood names in national-level endorsement deals for large brands such as Coca-Cola, Frooti, Kingfisher, redBus, McDonald’s and boAt, executives said. They are also being paid higher fees in many cases, amid a string of high profile Bollywood movies tanking at the box office, they said. 

“In the TAM AdEX Celeb track, we have seen over a three-fold increase recently in celebs from regional geographies becoming national brand ambassadors,” said TAM Media Research chief executive LV Krishnan.

“Brand choices for ambassadors are dependent solely on consumer preferences… brands have no limits to geography affiliations when it comes to using ambassadors.”

Beverage maker Coca-Cola is said to be signing Allu Arjun — who headlined Telugu movie Pushpa: The Rise — for an endorsement deal.

“We are evaluating to expand the endorsement with Allu even across Hindi-speaking markets, given his increasing pan-India popularity,” said Arnab Roy, vice president and head of marketing, Coca-Cola, India and Southwest Asia. Pushpa grossed more than Rs. 365 crores worldwide.

Coca-Cola last month released a song featuring Arjun that has crossed 30 million views. “We have many regional stars endorsing our brands now and we are seeing that their connect is no longer limited just to regional markets,” Roy said.

Other recent national deals include Parle Agro’s Frooti mango drink naming Telugu actor Ram Charan as its brand ambassador with Alia Bhatt after the actor’s blockbuster RRR, Kingfisher beer signing Pushpa: The Rise female lead Rashmika Mandanna, and Allu Arjun getting on board online bus ticketing platform redBus. Mandanna is also the face of boAt, Cashify and McDonald’s.

“Many of our clients are evaluating the south stars since brands obviously want to associate with endorsers with higher consumer connect,” said Rediffusion MD Sandeep Goyal. “What was earlier massive regional appeal is now massive mainstream appeal.”

Arjun has signed a few national endorsement deals at fees higher than Ranveer Singh, he said. According to two celebrity management executives, Arjun now charges Rs. 7.5 crores per brand endorsement. He also endorses KFC, Zomato and building material company Astral. Ranveer Singh, in contrast, is learnt to charge Rs. 3.5-4 crores per endorsement.

Mahesh Babu has been the face of prominent brands such as Royal Stag, TVS Motor and Mountain Dew, and is known to charge Rs. 1 crore per brand endorsement. Samantha Prabhu endorses PepsiCo’s snack brand Kurkure, online fashion platform Myntra, personal care brand Mamaearth and Nestle’s Munch chocolate.