Filmmaking rarely goes entirely to plan, but the makers of the sci-fi actioner Raaka are powering ahead despite a possible month-long delay following Rashmika Mandanna’s hip injury during dance rehearsals for the Atlee-directed film. The team is now gearing up for a major schedule next month, with high-octane action sequences featuring Mandanna and Allu Arjun, alongside Malayalam actor Aishwarya Lekshmi.

A source close to the production reveals, “Allu Arjun will be playing a triple role in Raaka — one as a divine warrior, another with negative traits, [while the third is still under wraps] — the character will span three different timelines in different avatars. Deepika Padukone, who has wrapped up her part, plays a pregnant woman in the Puranic Vedic era. Rashmika will play Deepika’s protector who is crucial in her fight for survival, while Janhvi Kapoor is said to play a tribal girl.”

The source adds that Lekshmi’s character will have grey shades. The sci-fi film will move across three timelines, featuring “wild beasts, exotic new creatures and species”, informs the source.

“A massive set is also being built at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad for a September schedule, where the makers will shoot the interval block, featuring Arjun in elaborate action sequences.”

It’s a race against time for Deepika Padukone, who is on her final schedule for the first part of ‘Raaka’. mid-day has learnt that the actor, currently filming in Mumbai, intends to complete her portions of the Allu Arjun-starrer by early September before she begins her maternity leave.

A source close to the development told us that filmmaker Atlee planned the schedules such that Padukone could be among the first ones to honour her commitment to the film.

“The idea was always to finish Deepika’s work before she took her maternity break. The mom-to-be will be off the film until her birthday in January 2027. Then she will return to the set to shoot any pending promotional material and the second part of ‘Raaka’,” said the source.

After Padukone bows out in September, Arjun and the remaining cast — including Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor, and Mrunal Thakur — will continue filming the sci-fi action epic. Atlee is expected to call it a wrap on the first part by November.

The source added, “A call on the second instalment’s schedule will be taken after the first is complete. Both parts will release in 2027.”

mid-day reached out to the film’s production team, which didn’t respond till press time.

Is Allu Arjun moving to Mumbai? Is he staying put in Hyderabad? That’s all the industry has been talking about over the past few days. On April 21, we reported that the South star has decided to divide his time between Hyderabad and Mumbai, making the latter his work base for the next few years (Mumbai meri jaan, Arjun? April 21). And that plan’s already put into action. mid-day did a bit of digging around and found out that the superstar has rented a swanky five-bedroom apartment at Juhu Tara Road. 

Want to know the price tag it comes with? From what we’ve heard, Arjun is shelling out a cool R16 lakh per month, as part of his three-year lease.

Apparently, the actor had a clear caveat when looking for an address in Mumbai — it had to be sea-facing. The upscale building, at Juhu Tara Road junction, ticked that box and more. A source revealed, “Allu Arjun wanted a beach-facing property for his wife Sneha and two children, Allu Ayaan and Allu Arha. The kids will live with him during their school vacations. Spread over 6000 square feet, the apartment in the high-rise comes with a plunge pool and four car parking spaces.”

Over the past year, the actor and his wife visited the property multiple times, overseeing the interior design. The source added, “He wants his home to be a space of tranquility — think lots of greenery and the calming sound of the sea. It should be conducive for his prep, as he will shoot major portions of his next few films, including Raaka and a project with Lokesh Kanagaraj, in Mumbai.”