On Prabhas’s birthday last month, the makers announced that Fauzi would arrive in cinemas on March 19, 2027, instead of its previously announced December 2026 release. With director Hanu Raghavapudi’s feature getting pushed by three months, the actor will now have to juggle it with Kalki 2, which filmmaker Nag Ashwin intends to wrap by March-end.

While Prabhas recently resumed the shoot of Kalki 2, also starring Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan, his dates for the sci-fi action film are now being worked around those of Fauzi.

A source shared, “Fauzi has to be completed on priority. There is very little room to push the shoot around, considering the release date.”

With the actor hopefully wrapping the period drama by December, he can then give his undivided attention to Kalki 2.

The source added, “Nag Ashwin wants to wrap his film by March 31, as post-production on such a VFX-heavy film will also take time. It is a massive project, and getting everyone’s dates together is a task in itself.”

After Kalki 2898 AD (2024) won two National Awards, including Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Production Design, director Nag Ashwin calls the wins “special”. The recognition marks his second National Award after he was previously honoured for Mahanati. Speaking about the honour, Ashwin says awards were not on his mind while making the film, but he always believed its production design deserved praise.

“Usually during making films, I don’t think of what awards it will get but for Kalki, I always felt that it should get in production design. We were doing some extremely impossible things and I’m very happy that it got that recognition,” says the filmmaker.

Reflecting on the win, Ashwin says the team shared the joy despite being in different places. “We were all in different places but overall I think we all felt an immense gratitude and joy for the recognition,” he says.

The film featured an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone and Kamal Haasan, among others. Ashwin credits the film’s “great actors” for pushing him to be sharper and ensuring that the story and scenes were “up to the mark”.

“Rather than overpower the story, I feel it helped me be sharper on my feet and make sure that the story or the scenes really were up to the mark, to justify the great actors who were playing these roles,” he says.

Recalling the film’s most challenging sequences, Ashwin points to the climax featuring Ashwatthama (Amitabh) battling Bhairava (Prabhas) in Bujji, the three-wheeled AI car, as well as the Mahabharata portions. “It was really a complicated sequence because the action had proper story beats and had to keep improving. And also the Mahabharata sequences,” shares the 40-year-old.

Ashwin also feels the response to films across scales is encouraging. “It’s very exciting as stories now, whether they are small and intimate or larger than life, have somehow seemed to have found their own stable audience and I’m really hoping that this trend continues,” he says.

He adds that Kalki’s success has also inspired filmmakers to explore the genre, although that means he will have to reassess some of the ideas he originally developed years ago. “Kalki has inspired many more to follow this genre... what was original seven years ago while writing it, I’ll have to assess and reimagine sometimes,” he says.

With the film’s box-office success followed by National Award recognition, Ashwin says the focus for its sequel, Kalki 2898 AD – Part 2, will remain on the story rather than expectations. “After the box office success and now the award recognition, what we will strive to do is to still be honest to the story. And make a film that can stand the test of time,” he says.

For Ashwin, that honesty begins with the reason a filmmaker chooses to tell a story in the first place. “I feel the stories that directors want to tell... from inside... not because they need to make their next film or are trying to write something according to the trend. The want to make something should be blind and relentless. I feel only those work, at any point of time,” he concludes.

Prabhas has gone back in time to the World War II era — on screen, of course. The superstar and director Hanu Raghavapudi are currently shooting one of the most crucial portions of their period drama, Fauzi, in Hyderabad. mid-day has learnt that for the leg, the unit has recreated an elaborate Japanese Army camp of the 1940s at Ramoji Film City.

A source close to the production revealed, “The World War II backdrop is integral to the story. The director wanted every detail of the Japanese Army camp to feel authentic. The team has spent considerable time on the production design to recreate the period as accurately as possible for the screen.”

From what we’ve heard, Prabhas will continue shooting for Fauzi — that is reportedly set against the backdrop of the British Raj in India and sees the actor play a soldier — till July-end. After that, he will turn his attention to Spirit, his cop actioner helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga.

An insider said, “The major schedules of Spirit have been wrapped. Soon, the team will move to Dehradun and Goa for two stints.”

Whenever a big-ticket movie locks its release date, there is almost always a ripple effect. This time, it’s got to do with Prabhas’s Spirit and Salman Khan’s next with director Vamshi Paidipally, the working title of which is SVC63. Spirit, helmed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, was announced as a March 5, 2027, release. But now according to multiple trade sources, it has been postponed to December 1, 2027. What’s the trigger? Khan’s actioner.

An industry insider told mid-day, “Salman locked Eid 2027, which will fall in early March, for his next with Nayanthara. Once that date was taken, it didn’t make sense for Spirit to arrive in the same window. Vanga’s films rely heavily on sustained buzz and clean runs. So, the delay is a calculated move, not due to production issues.”

Now, Vanga appears to have chosen a date that brought him luck the last time around — December 1, which was Animal’s (2023) release date. Spirit, which pairs Prabhas with Triptii Dimri, is currently in production. Sources indicated that the filmmaker is sticking to an aggressive shooting schedule of the cop actioner, aiming to wrap principal photography by early 2027 regardless of the new date.

A source revealed, “Vanga wants enough room for editing, background score, and readying it in Hindi, Telugu, and other languages. The latest move shows that big-ticket offerings are increasingly averting clashes unless unavoidable.”

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Besides ‘Spirit’, Prabhas has the sequel to ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ in production. Director Nag Ashwin recently kicked off the latest schedule in Hyderabad, with the superstar expected to shoot the film’s core portions through May

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.”

If there’s one thing Prabhas is known for beyond his roles, it’s his love for food, a passion that even left director Om Raut stunned during the shoot of Adipurush (2023).

During an interaction for the film Couple Friendly with actors Santosh Shobhan and Manasa Varanasi, Prabhas recalled, “When I was shooting in Mumbai for Adipurush, it was my cheat meal day. I was with Raut, and told him, not Mumbai, I would get him special food from somewhere else (Chennai). He kept waiting, and it was taking hours. I wasn’t letting him eat anything else.”

As the wait stretched on, Raut grew curious about the delay. That’s when Prabhas revealed the surprising truth. “He was shocked. I told him that someone was bringing a hot meal on a flight from Chennai for us. Raut was like, ‘I’ve never seen someone like you in my life’,” the 46-year-old actor added.

Explaining why he goes to such lengths, Prabhas said, “We get the food in Hyderabad, but that authenticity is missing. People joke whenever I have cheat days about which state my meal will be brought in from.”

Over the past few days, rumours have intensified about the teaser of ‘Salaar: Part 2 — Shouryaanga Parvam’ dropping online on January 25, leading social media to go into overdrive about the Prabhas-starrer. However, insiders close to the production have told mid-day that the much-hyped sequel to director Prashanth Neel’s ‘Salaar: Part 1 — Ceasefire’ (2023) is not happening anytime soon.

“The sequel hasn’t even entered the discussion stage yet, let alone a shoot timeline,” said a source associated with the action thriller.

In fact, Prabhas’s next to go on floors is the period war drama ‘Fauji’, directed by Hanu Raghavapudi. According to insiders, the actor is expected to kick off the project next week in Hyderabad, juggling it with filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s ‘Spirit’.

The source added, “Prabhas will be managing ‘Fauji’ and ‘Spirit’ together for the foreseeable future. The fate of ‘Salaar 2’ will be decided only after the director wraps his current project with Jr NTR, and Prabhas’s dates free up. That is likely to happen sometime in 2027.”

mid-day reached out to Hombale Films, the production house behind ‘Salaar’, which didn’t respond till press time.

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‘Salaar’ director Prashanth Neel is currently busy with his pan-India action film, reportedly titled ‘Dragon’. It stars Jr NTR, Tovino Thomas, and Anil Kapoor.

With Deepika Padukone’s exit, one might have assumed Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s upcoming film Spirit would be delayed. Instead, the Prabhas and Triptii Dimri-starrer is now likely to release in August 2027, significantly earlier than its initial December 2027 date. According to industry sources, the shift follows strong advice from distributors to avoid a clash with Marvel’s Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for December 17, 2027.

“[The distributors] told the makers very clearly that clashing with Avengers: Secret Wars is not sensible. That film will dominate globally. An August release gives Spirit the space it needs,” a source informed mid-day.

To meet the advanced deadline, the production team has fast-tracked the film, with calendars being reworked. A source close to the project confirms that shooting began on November 26.

“The shoot kickstarted in Hyderabad with Prabhas joining the sets on Thursday [November 27] evening. He will film till December-end, followed by a New Year break. The next schedule is slated to kick off in Mexico in early 2026. They might rework a couple of sequences to match the speed — from Prabhas’ dates, the action choreography, to the stunt prep — [will be reorganized]. The intention is to protect the film’s scale.”

If all proceeds as planned, Spirit may secure an uninterrupted box-office run, positioning it as one of 2027’s biggest Indian releases.

For Riddhi Kumar, 2025 has been all about growth. She shot for the ambitious Prabhas-starrer, The Raja Saab, this year. The actor, who has featured in several Telugu movies, is glad that director Maruthi’s horror comedy reunited her with one of her favourite co-actors. “This is my second project with Prabhas after Radhe Shyam [2022]. He has such powerful screen presence — the way he uses his eyes and pauses is a masterclass.”

She fondly recalls a valuable lesson he shared. “He told me to take pauses between lines as it helps the reactions feel real and the edit flow better.”

Switching from The Raja Saab’s grandeur to the intimate world of her maiden Marathi film, Kadhipatta, was interesting for Kumar. “When director Vishwaa narrated the story to me, I knew I had to do it. Meera, my character, is so authentic and vulnerable that I instantly connected with her,” she says.

Kadhipatta tells the story of a young couple seeking divorce. Through them, the film explores the fragility of relationships. “Love isn’t perfect. It’s about accepting a person’s flaws, their silliness, and choosing to grow with them,” she says, adding that the film touches upon divorce and shows that it’s “a natural part of life, not a taboo”.

Animal (2023) may not be the only franchise that filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga is building. Even before his next, Spirit, with Prabhas has gone on floors, the buzz is that the filmmaker is developing the cop action film as a franchise.

According to industry sources, filming of the Prabhas and Triptii Dimri-starrer is slated to begin in February 2026. Insiders say that discussions are underway about embedding a cliffhanger at the end of Spirit, thus setting the stage for the second chapter.

A source tells mid-day, “The makers are planning to build a world centred on Prabhas’s cop. They are exploring whether the first part can end at a cliffhanger and leave the audience eager for what comes next.”

After The Raja Saab hits the screens in January, the actor will face the camera for Vanga’s directorial venture. The first schedule will be conducted in Mumbai, after which the team will head to international locations, including Mexico, Thailand, and Indonesia. The source adds, “A look test was done some time ago, and the makers have zeroed in on two distinct avatars for Prabhas. There is a flashback scene, which will be shot in the Mumbai leg.”

While work on Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani’s biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke is underway, uncertainty seems to be looming on S S Rajamouli’s production on the Father of Indian cinema. The buzz is that Rajamouli’s project, to be helmed by Nitin Kakkar of Filmistaan (2012) fame, is on hold for the foreseeable future. Khan’s project is understandably a deterrent to it. But the bigger cause for the hold-up is said to be its potential leading men — Jr NTR and Prabhas.

Reportedly titled Made In India, it was to star RRR (2022) hero Jr NTR. However, his slate quickly filled up, with the actor currently shooting his action drama with director Prashanth Neel. It was then rumoured that Prabhas would headline the biopic. 

A source says, “He is busy for the remainder of 2025 and through early 2026. Prabhas begins shooting for Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit later this year, and will move to Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD Part 2 when that goes on floors.”

As a result, director Kakkar has shifted his focus to Awarapan 2, which is currently being shot in Thailand with Emraan Hashmi. “Kakkar didn’t want to sit idle waiting for the Phalke project to clear its hurdles. It made sense to move ahead with Awarapan 2,” adds the source.

Industry insiders indicate that the project will be revived when the right star is available.

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana was recently in Ooty, shooting for Thama (the forthcoming film in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe), and spoke to us about his experience filming for the first time in Tamil Nadu, why there shouldn’t be a north vs. south mindset in the film industry, on Hindi cinema’s evolution in the post-pandemic era and more…

The north vs. south mindset isn’t the right step forward for the Indian film industry. We’re moving towards a more unified Indian film industry. It’s an exciting time to be an actor, as collaboration is becoming the cornerstone for change. We saw what Atlee did with Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan and what Nag Ashwin did by bringing together Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan sir in one frame! These projects are bringing together the best of both worlds!

I have seen some of the remakes, but I can definitely say that these films being remade in the South is definitely a moment of incredible appreciation for me as an artiste. There is no bigger validation than seeing my films crossing over and entertaining people across my country.

I’m not really a believer of remaking films. I feel once a film is made, we should let that be. It’s my personal choice to not look for remakes and keep an eye on new and unique concepts that people have never seen me in before. I’m sure there are a lot of films that could be remade in Hindi, but I would love to do original content, like how I’ve been doing so far.

Working with Rashmika has been a delight. She brings a fresh energy to the set, which is needed when you have hectic shoot days. She ensures she knows all the nuances of her scene before she steps on set. Her work ethic is incredible. In terms of the acting process, every actor has a different process and that is not restricted to the industry they come from — but what remains constant is the commitment to the craft.

Hindi cinema delivered all-time blockbusters with Pathaan, Jawan, and Animal in a span of 12 months. We also had Stree 2 and Chhaava recently. I guess that answers the question! Every industry goes through its churn, and Hindi cinema, like any industry, is going through an evolution where it will shape a new identity in a post-pandemic world.

The pandemic has precipitated a change in content viewing patterns. No one wants to watch something that’s been seen before or, for lack of a better word, vanilla. Anything mediocre won’t work anymore. To me, that’s exciting because it gets us out of our comfort zone. Look at Laapataa Ladies, 12th Fail, The Kerala Story, Munjya or Sita Ramam — these were rooted stories, not hugely budgeted extravaganzas, and they still found their audience. So, if the story hits home, people will show up.

I’ve found my niche is championing real men who are endearing, relatable, and flawed, but also heroic. It has not narrowed my choices. It’s my personal ambition to be very original. A good film will bring in audiences, and I try to look for the best scripts that our industry is making. In Thama, the audience will see me in a different avatar yet find the quirk that they see in my movies, which has become my calling card!

Ooty provided the perfect backdrop for Thama. Every time you turn your head, you see greenery and mountains covered with clouds. This is also the first film I have shot in Tamil Nadu. I have always been a fan of the hospitality and culture of the state. We had a tight schedule, so I didn’t get time to visit popular spots in Ooty. However, I had good local cuisine. I can’t wait to return and visit the place properly.

When Deepika Padukone walked out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit, it exposed the deeply gendered fissures within Bollywood’s power structures. This is an industry where exits by leading men are often romanticized as acts of creative rebellion, like in the case of Salman Khan leaving Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Inshallah.

The narrative surrounding Deepika’s exit was, however, aggressively shaped with slander. From the very first piece itself, she was branded “unprofessional” for asking for strict eight-hour work days, remuneration in the range of Rs 40 crore, an additional fee if the shoot extends beyond the allotted number of days, and a share of profits, which is customary for male stars. Her male co-star Prabhas, reportedly commands a fee ranging between Rs 100 to Rs 200 crore per film.

Deepika was promptly replaced by Triptii Dimri the next day. Dimri made it to national fame for her extended cameo in Vanga’s last film Animal. And then appeared a news report about how a major bone of contention between Padukone and Vanga was the number of “bold” scenes in the movie.

Vanga lashed back with a tweet, “When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100 per cent faith. There is an unsaid NDA [Non Disclosure Agreement] between us. But by doing this, You’ve ‘DISCLOSED’ the person that you are... Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for ? As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn’t get it. You won’t get it. You will never get it. Aisa karo... Agli baar poori kahani bolna... kyunki mujhe jarra bhi farak nahi padtha. #dirtyPRgames I like this kahawath very much :-) खुंदक में बिल्ली खंबा नोचे!” [an embarrassed person tends to vent their feelings by quarrelling].

Padukone, who was attending a Cartier event in Copenhagen the same day, said in an interview, “I think what keeps me balanced is just being truthful, being authentic. Whenever I am faced with complicated or difficult situations, I listen to my inner voice and make decisions that give me peace. That’s when I feel most in equilibrium.”

What followed thereafter was a battle between Vanga supporters and Deepika stans.

Lawyer and activist Devrupa Rakshit tells us, “Watching this play out in the media has been nothing short of whiplash. This goes far deeper than an industry spat, and is a great case study in how patriarchy punishes women who know their worth, and label them ‘difficult’ or ‘replaceable’ the moment they stop playing nice or demand equity. As soon as a woman, no matter how accomplished, dares to set boundaries or ask for compensation comparable to her male counterparts, the system is very quick to remind her where it thinks she belongs. The rhetoric about whether Deepika is ‘worth Rs 20 crore’ is so hypocritical! Why are we even asking that when we rarely interrogate the sky-high demands of male actors, even when they consistently deliver flops?”

She posted about this on her social media, a post liked by Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor. 

Rakshit continues — “The responses to my post were so telling! They made the gender divide painfully clear. For many women, obviously, it resonated deeply, seeing their own experiences of being dismissed for asking for raises, for setting work-hour boundaries, for not overextending themselves just to appear “dedicated” reflected here. On the other hand, a large chunk of men are justifying the hate Deepika is receiving, with arguments like how she’s not a box-office draw, how there are thousands of girls who’d do it for free, or how she should be grateful she’s getting paid at all. There were also comments trying to sidestep the gender issue entirely, by framing it as a purely business decision. We don’t hear these same arguments when male actors charge three to four times more despite flopping repeatedly. At the heart of it is a deep-rooted discomfort with women asserting agency, especially around money and autonomy. This is also why stories like Deepika’s strike such a nerve. If someone with her fame, skill, and track record isn’t ‘allowed’ to ask for better, what hope is there for the rest of us?”

Filmmakers routinely bend over backwards to accommodate male superstars, adjusting shoot schedules, rewriting scripts, and sometimes even shelving projects. Which is why when Rhea Kapoor waited for a year for Kareena Kapoor Khan to make Veere Di Wedding, it made headlines. 

One top female producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, says, “The industry has long known that there are certain directors who maintain control through fear and manipulation. But now we’re seeing that actresses like Deepika are no longer willing to trade dignity for screen time. That’s a tectonic shift. And it threatens the old order.”

This kind of shift isn’t new. The subtext of this exit echoes past incidents, like Anushka Sharma’s push for better roles under her production banner or Kareena Kapoor discussing pay parity and lack of insurance for pregnant women on Bollywood sets. The industry’s patriarchal core is met with fierce resistance from women working here now. An image manager at Matrix the company who reps Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, says, “Deepika has made it clear she won’t tolerate creative environments that don’t serve her. Kareena, too, left Yash-starrer Toxic due to monetary disputes with the makers. The ladies are saying that they won’t be tossed around. They know their worth and won’t short-sell.”

This is perhaps why Padukone’s brand emerges stronger post-exit. Industry whispers indicate that several directors have approached her since, and she is on the verge of locking Atlee’s next alongside Allu Arjun, for whom this is the next after the success of Pushpa 2. A male screenwriter comments, “This is the era of image-led storytelling. When an actress becomes symbolic of a larger cultural stance, like not tolerating toxicity, she doesn’t need a hit film to stay relevant. She becomes the story.”

And Vanga? He may ride the wave of attention into a successful release, but his penchant for controversial masculinity may have once seemed audacious, now it risks coming across as repetitive. 

A senior publicist believes that this is a classic eyeball-grabbing move by Vanga. “He is playing a long game here. Every time he positions himself as misunderstood or vilified, he strengthens his appeal among a very specific demographic of viewers, mostly young men. And now, he is going after a top actress and accusing her of things like leaking the plot of his film. But nothing about the film is known except the fact that it is a cop thriller.”

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh rubbishes this theory. He says, “When a writer narrates a story, it is meant to be a secret. It’s an unspoken fact. You can’t tell the story. A filmmaker would feel hurt. Even in the 1970s and ’80s, actors would pass on films because of scheduling conflicts. Sholay had multiple casting changes but the story never got leaked. Stars and even directors need to part ways amicably. And no, I don’t believe negativity is publicity because no one wants or benefits from publicity like this.”

Female agency is suffering the most, Kolkata-based sociologist Susmita Bandhopadhyay tells Sunday mid-day. Padukone’s supporters, who made the issue about feminism, gave the issue an ugly turn and worked overtime to run down Triptii, who only took up a new film that someone else was supposed to do.

“Feminism, at its core, is about women pulling each other up. So what’s happening right now is not feminism. It’s a PR show that uses feminists as pawns. What happened to Deepika is unfortunate, but the minute Triptii’s slut-shaming began, it became counter-productive. In the end, it became the classic woman-pitted-against-woman and be it Deepika or Triptii, a woman lost.”

After bidding an emotional adieu to the 16th season of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, megastar Amitabh Bachchan has his attention trained on his next, Kalki 2, co-starring Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, and Deepika Padukone. The sequel to the 2024 film Kalki 2898 AD, Nag Ashwin’s dystopian science fiction will offer more screen time to Bachchan, we hear. 

A source says, “He begins shooting in May, and his screen time has been increased. Filming is expected to continue till June 15, and following that, Amitabh is expected to kick off the next season of KBC in July. The next edition of the quiz show airs in August.” Bachchan, we’re told, will begin prepping for his role of Ashwatthama from the end of this month.

“The sequel will take forward his and Bhairava/Karna’s [Prabhas] story, and their role in rescuing Sumathi’s [Padukone] unborn child. It will be grander than the last one as Prabhas and Bachchan also confront the evil Supreme Commander, Yaskin [Haasan]. So, three titans will clash.”

For those familiar with the tale of the original film, the source shares that the upcoming sequel will also introduce a fourth world, Flux Lands, and a tribe called the Nomens.

“While a 30-day filming leg concluded last year, a lot of action portions still need to be shot. As Bachchan plays an immortal being from the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata, he will also be seen doing more action with weapons. They will shoot on the outskirts of Hyderabad, where a massive set has been constructed. The first film was shot in Shankarpally.”

Looks like The Raja Saab, starring Prabhas, will not be released on April 10 as scheduled. While director Maruthi and the production house remain mum, a source from the unit confirmed to us that the Telugu horror comedy will miss its release date.

There was buzz recently that Prabhas’ ankle injury was causing some delay. The actor has also been busy with his project with director Hanu Raghavapudi, rumoured to be titled Fauji. However, the source said, “The Raja Saab will not be released as planned on April 10. However, it’s not due to Prabhas’ health or other commitments.”

The source added, “Maruthi’s film is VFX heavy, and he wants it to look seamless. It has not yet been finalized when the film will release, but there are some good spots available throughout the year. A new date will only be announced once they make good headway on post-production.”

RRR (2022) has shown us that V Vijayendra Prasad has a knack for larger-than-life historical dramas. Now, the veteran writer has penned a script on Maharana Pratap, the 16th century king of Mewar. In his last discussion on the subject with mid-day, Prasad had said that Hrithik Roshan, Prabhas and Ranbir Kapoor were his choices to portray the king (‘Prabhas, Hrithik or Ranbir can play the part’, Jan 2, 2024). But the writer appears to have had a new thought. Having loved Vicky Kaushal’s performance as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Chhaava, he is keen that the actor lead his period piece.

“Vicky Kaushal was excellent in Chhaava. While Hrithik, Prabhas and Ranbir are very good for the role of Maharana Pratap, after Chhaava, Vicky is in the same league as them. He is perfect for the role of Maharana Pratap. He is tall and strong, and will be able to carry the weaponry well,” says the famed screenwriter. Legend has it that the Mewar king carried two swords that weighed about 25 kilos each. Through the drama, Prasad wants to highlight the king’s bravery and honesty.

He says, “Sometimes, our movies portray our warriors in a shabby way; they don’t show their glory but a good attempt has been made with Chhaava.”

In the yet-untitled period drama, Prasad will show how Maharana Pratap was the only Rajput king who did not bow down to the Mughals. It will be a fictional take with the story playing out in two timelines—the 16th century, and modern day where the king’s descendant is trying to clear the king’s name. 

About the plot, Prasad elaborates, “It will be a double role, with the actor playing Rana Pratap and his descendant. Akbar camped for two years to catch Rana Pratap but when he couldn’t, he took chests of money, gold, and jewels from Agra to give it to Rana Pratap but it never reached Delhi. The other royal dynasties felt that Rana Pratap had taken it all. Now it’s the job of Maharana Pratap’s descendants, a historian, to prove that he had never taken the money.”

Actor Rasha Thadani, who made her debut last month with Azaad, has grown up seeing the stardom her mum, actor Raveena Tandon, enjoyed sans social media. However, a part of the social media generation, the 19-year-old notes that the rules of the game have completely changed now.

Ask Rasha if the value of stardom has reduced with stars becoming more accessible today and she says, “Social media accessibility has its pros and cons. While the negative fallout is that recognition may be temporary as everyone is easily accessible, the brighter side is that you can interact with the audience more. They can get to know and maybe like you as a person, rather than just liking you for your on-screen persona. So, I think it works both ways.”

Having said that, the debutante notes that being elusive does enhance a star’s appeal: “Look at (actors) Prabhas sir or Allu Arjun sir... when they walk in, there’s fan frenzy. That’s because even if they are on social media, they are not active on it. If they post something, the internet breaks because of the rarity of it.”

Isn’t it true that due to the pressure of being popular on social media, celebrities sometimes project a different personality online? Rasha agrees to that, but says, “If you are trying to be fake, people get to know it. The audience is smart.”

She gives an example to make her point. “Why is (actor) Shraddha Kapoor ma’am loved so much on social media? It’s because she is a genuine, humble, kind and pure person, and that reflects. She shares more of who she is, and that works so well for her. It makes even me appreciate her more,” she ends.

At a time when the volume of content being churned out by the film industry often leads to a tussle for screens across India, releasing a small-budget offering alongside three big-budget productions may seem like a poorly calculated move. But April 11 is a date of significance for Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, given that it coincides with the 197th birth anniversary of social activist Jyotirao Govindrao Phule, on whom his film, Phule, is based.

Mahadevan acknowledges that releasing the movie merely a day after mammoth productions like Prabhas’s The Raja Saab, Yash’s Toxic, and Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 3 hit the theatres may seem daunting for a filmmaker, but he is certain that the Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa-starrer will catch the attention of the audience he intends to target.

“April 11 is a milestone; a date to celebrate. It is relevant for us to release the film on that day, regardless of which other film is also released. Our date is finalised. In March, we will begin promoting Phule, and ensure that people belonging to each corner of India know what the film is about. I have shot at actual locations, like at a wada [fortress] in Bhor, Kolhapur, and Satara. I did not shoot on a set because my producers, Ritesh and Anuya Kudecha, insisted that the film be made as authentically as possible,” says Mahadevan.

Celebrating the socialists, Phule, and his wife Savitribai (played by Patralekhaa) for their innumerable contributions to society, Mahadevan calls the former the “Abraham Lincoln of India.”

“When Jyotirao learnt that Lincoln abolished slavery in America, he was deeply inspired. He was fighting a battle on two fronts—against the British, and [against society]. The fight was to dispel practices like gender and caste discrimination and promote the education of the girl child. Today if women have an opinion, are educated, and are taken seriously, [it is because of them]. Savitribai and Fatima Sheikh [Indian educator] were the first female teachers in India.”

Ask him if he considered casting Rajkummar Rao as the film’s leading man to have the husband-and-wife duo Rao and Patralekhaa reprise the relationship on screen, and he responds in the negative. “Pratik is an effortless actor,” he backs his leading man.

“He is a chameleon, and we can all just marvel at him. He works hard on each role, but that effort isn’t made obvious on the screen, and that is what acting is all about. Of course, Rajkummar is very accomplished, and I could have approached him via Patralekhaa, but when I saw Pratik and Patralekhaa together, I felt the real characters had come alive.”

During a podcast last month, talking about one of the big pan-India releases this year, Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, Arshad confessed that he didn’t like the film much. He had said, “Maine Kalki dekhi, mujhe toh nahi acchi lagi. Amit ji was unbelievable.”

He then added, “Prabhas, I am really sad, why was he… He was like a joker. Why?” His comment didn’t go down well with Prabhas’ fans as well as others in the Telugu film fraternity, including actors Nani, Sudheer Babu and director Ajay Bhupathi.

Breaking his silence on the online backlash he faced following his comments, Arshad, at an event on Saturday, clarified that his remarks were about the character and not the person.

He said, “Everybody has their own point of view, and people like to interpret noise. I spoke about the character, not the person. He is a brilliant actor, and he has proved himself again and again, and we know about it. And, when we give a bad character to a good actor, it’s heartbreaking for the audience.”

Arshad further added that he is happy that industries of different languages are coming together to make movies.

“The blurring of language barriers should have happened a long time ago. I really feel enraged when someone uses terms like Bollywood or Tollywood. I have told people many times that this is the Indian film industry. We all are in it together.”

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Arshad Warsi has finally reacted to the controversy he courted recently when he called actor Prabhas’ character in Kalki 2898 AD “a joker”. The actor, while attending an event, was asked about ‘something he said recently about an actor that didn’t go well’.

Warsi responded: “Everybody has their own point of view and people like to [create a little bit of] noise. I spoke about the character, not the person. He (Prabhas) is a brilliant actor and he has proved himself again and again, and we know about it. And, when we give a bad character to a good actor, it’s heartbreaking for the audience.”

Last month, Warsi expressed his disappointment with Prabhas’ character Bhairava in Kalki 2898 AD while speaking on a podcast. He said: “Prabhas, I am really sad, why was he… he was like a joker.”

What followed was sharp reactions from not just Prabhas’ fans, but even actors. Actor Sudheer Babu wrote on X: “It’s okay to criticize constructively but it’s never okay to bad-mouth. Never expected the absence of professionalism from Arshad Warsi. Prabhas’ stature is too big for comments coming from small minds (sic).”

Actor Nani said in a press conference that this must be the “most publicity” Warsi had got in his life. He later regretted his comments, saying, “Definitely, my choice of words was also poor. The biggest thing that you can do is accept your regret. But what I am also saying is that it sounds so bad when it’s translated.”