Have you heard? Sanjay Dutt to be an antagonist once more

Vijay, Lokesh Kanagaraj and Sanjay Dutt

Never mind that Shamshera, in which he played the tyrant Shuddh Singh, didn't work commercially, Sanjay Dutt has his KGF: Chapter 2 antagonist Adheera to thank for continuing to make him sought after down south. News is that the actor has been roped in to play the villain once again, this time around in Vikram director Lokesh Kanagaraj's next, with Vijay. The south superstar plays a gangster in his 40s in the action thriller, tentatively titled Thalapathy 67. Apparently, the script demanded a powerful actor to essay the antagonist and makers felt it couldn't get bigger than Sanju. Lokesh had been in talks with the Bhuj actor for some time and it is only recently that things were finalised. Buzz is that Sanju is being paid R10 crore for the film. Not surprisingly, with the Bollywood actor on board and Lokesh's last, Vikram, with Kamal Haasan, having done good business in the Hindi territories, the director is planning to go pan-India with this new movie too. It will also help boost Vijay's presence beyond the south-Indian realm. Interestingly, the makers are also keen to sign on Prithviraj Sukumaran for a key negative role. Thalapathy 67 is being planned as a Diwali 2023 release.

Raveena seeks vengeance

After making her OTT debut with Aranyak (2021), Raveena Tandon has started filming her next series. She leads the cast of director Ruchi Narain's Hindi adaptation of the American series, Revenge. Raveena plays an emotionally troubled woman who seeks vengeance from those who wronged her father. The protagonist in Mike Kelley's original thriller series was played by Emily VanCamp. Interestingly, Waluscha DeSousa and Varun Sood have also been signed on for pivotal parts. The yet-untitled series is slated to premiere mid-2023.

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To new beginnings

Having established her acting credentials with Mimi (2021), Kriti Sanon is looking to up the ante with her next. She has begun prep for her yet-untitled action drama with Anurag Kashyap. Besides acting workshops under the director's guidance, she has also started dialogue and language coaching for her role. While the narrative is strong on emotions, we hear the vengeance unleashed by Kriti's character is unlike we've seen on screen so far. "Kriti's character exudes raw brute power," says a source. While the yet-untitled Nikhil Dwivedi production venture is said to be a desi remake of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, the director maintains it is an original script. The film is slated to go on floors this November.

Save the date

At long last, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's D-Day is near. About two-and-a-half years since the pandemic thwarted their marriage plans, the couple is set to tie the knot. The pre-wedding celebrations will kick off on September 30 in Delhi Gymkhana, followed by the mehndi and sangeet on October 1. The next day, Richa and Ali will host a big bash for their extended families, after which they will return to Mumbai to continue to the ceremonies. On October 6, the couple will have an intimate wedding ceremony in a bungalow rented for the purpose. They will host a grand reception at a south Mumbai hotel the following evening, for which they have invited about 200 friends from the fraternity.

Chalo London

mid-day reported yesterday that Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar are teaming up again for director Mudassar Aziz's next (Twice upon a time, September 12). Now, we hear that Rakul Preet Singh has joined the cast of the romantic comedy. We hear that Rakul has a stunning new look for her sassy role in the movie that went on floors in London yesterday. Sources claim the humour quotient in the movie is inspired by Govinda's laugh riots of the 1990s. However, the dialogues have a more contemporary touch. The actors will be stationed in the UK for a month, during which a major chunk of the film will be completed.

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Reunion times

After kick-staring the production of Sam Bahadur last month, the team of Meghna Gulzar's biopic on Sam Manekshaw is currently filming in Kashmir. Sources state that after extensive prep, Vicky Kaushal has convincingly transformed into the legendary Field Marshal in front of the camera. We hear the team is in the last leg of the Kashmir schedule, after which they will move to Delhi. Interestingly, Vicky, who previously collaborated with Meghna on Raazi, is not the only actor she is working with again. The director has roped in her Talvar actor Neeraj Kabi to essay the part of the country's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawarhalal Nehru, in Sam Bahadur. Those who have had a dekko of Neeraj's look are all praise for Meghna's attention to detail in revisiting the bygone era of India.

End of a long association

Monday brought heart-breaking news for Akshay Kumar. The actor's hairstylist of many years, Milan Jadhav, passed away yesterday due to cancer. He was 44. Those who had visited the actor's set would recall his stylist whose sense of humour remained constant even as he regularly experimented with his looks. Sharing a picture with him from the set, Akshay wrote, "You stood out of the crowd with your funky hairstyles and infectious smile. Always ensured not even one hair of mine was out of place. The life of the set, my hairdresser for more than 15 years…Milan Jadhav. Still can't believe you've left us…I will miss you Milano." Anupam Kher, who has worked with Akshay on several films, commented, "This is so heartbreaking. He was a wonderful person. So sorry for your loss. Please convey my condolences to his family and friends."

Play Quiz: Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer Brahmastra