December marks the year-end, but to Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa, it marks a new beginning. mid-day had already reported that the actor couple is taking the plunge into production (Acting ke aage, November 7). Now, it has been heard that the duo will take their maiden production, a yet-untitled film directed by Vivek Daschaudhary, on floors from December 2.

Led by Rao, the movie will also star Sanya Malhotra, Abhishek Banerjee and Seema Pahwa. It marks the lead actors’ second film together after Hit: The First Case (2022). Sources tell us that Daschaudhary will begin a two-month straight schedule in Mumbai that will run on till the end of January 2025.

“The shoot will kick off on December 2, with the director filming the introductory scenes of Rajkummar and Sanya’s characters. Last week, the lead pair did a look test with stylist Sheetal Sharma, who is designing the look for the film’s characters. The movie will be shot on sets in and around Mumbai,” says the source.

While little is known about the plot, an insider tells us that  Mumbai forms an important part of the film, which will première on Netflix.

The source elaborates, “The story revolves around a Mumbai-based couple and all the quirky, loving characters that form a part of their journey. The dark comedy focuses on the hard life in Mumbai. Rajkummar liked how Vivek had offered a quirky and cool take on the story.”

In a 14-year career, Rajkummar Rao has established himself as one of the finest actors of the current crop. Now, he is keen to extend his love for cinema beyond acting. We’ve heard the actor, along with actor-wife Patralekhaa, is turning producer with a yet-untitled film that will be helmed by Vivek Daschaudhary, who served as an assistant director on Guns & Gulaabs (2023). If things go as planned, the Rao-led project will go on floors in January 2025.

While he was toying with the idea of production for some time, the phenomenal success of Stree 2 cemented his decision. An insider shared, “Raj has been passionate about exploring different dimensions of filmmaking. It was Patralekhaa’s idea that they graduate to production, and after Stree 2’s smashing success, he felt it was the perfect time to dive in.”

It’s interesting that for their maiden production, Rao and Patralekhaa are backing the vision of Daschaudhary, who will foray into feature films with the project. It turns out the director’s fresh cinematic approach resonated with the couple, who want to bet on novel stories and new voices. 

Another source working on the film told us, “It’s an unconventional drama. Raj and Vivek both have a deep respect for meaningful stories and want to bring such narratives to the fore. While Raj and Patralekhaa have multiple productions in the works right now, this will be the first to roll in January. It’s a direct-to-web film for Netflix.”