Have you heard? The good, the bad, and the adventurous 

Prithviraj Sukumaran, SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu

There is heightened interest around SS Rajamouli's next, a yet-untitled jungle adventure with Mahesh Babu. It is being said that the auteur's writer-father KV Vijayendra Prasad has incorporated certain characteristic traits of Lord Hanuman in Mahesh's protagonist and also some key elements from the Ramayana in the narrative. Now, news is that the makers have finalised the antagonist for the movie that is along the lines of the Indiana Jones franchise. Reportedly, Rajamouli has signed Prithviraj Sukumaran to play Mahesh's nemesis in the action thriller. The filmmaker and the actor had been in talks for several weeks and have recently inked the deal. What drew Prithviraj to the role is that it is not the quintessential baddie, but one with a fascinating backstory. Interestingly, this marks the first collaboration between Mahesh and Prithviraj. Rajamouli is believed to be in discussions with a couple of Hollywood studios to back his grand vision with an international crew on board. The filmmaker is planning to begin filming early next year.

Prabhas, NTR Jr keep Prashanth busy this year

The box-office performance of Kalki 2898 AD has helped Prabhas get his groove back. He has begun preparing for Salaar Part 2. While director Prashanth Neel has already shot about 20 per cent of the sequel with Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, the next schedule is slated to begin on August 10. The makers have a set standing in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. However, plans to resume filming in June were rescheduled due to the rains and unavailability of combination dates. Even though the sequel to Salaar: Part One - Ceasefire (2023) will arrive in cinemas only by 2025 end, Prashanth will juggle the shoot with his other film, Dragon with NTR Junior. He has also met the respective producers and the actors to chalk out smooth and non-clashing schedules for both films. Salaar 2 will trace the changing dynamics between Prabhas' and Prithviraj's characters.

Cameo calling

We could get a glimpse of Salman Khan and Atlee's collaboration well before they team up for a film. The superstar will make a special appearance in the filmmaker's production, Baby John. The Varun Dhawan-starrer, directed by Kalees, is a remake of Atlee's 2016 Tamil hit, Theri, starring Thalapathy Vijay. Details of Salman's role are being closely guarded. Previously, Salman had a cameo in Judwaa 2.0 (2017), in which Varun played the double role. Sources claim Salman will shoot his part in August, but the final schedule is subject to weather conditions.

On a Stree spree

Even as the makers of Stree 2 are gearing up for the horror comedy's release on August 15, we hear more instalments starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao are in the pipeline. Recently, asked about the possibility of a third edition, director Amar Kaushik said that there is a story left to be told. However, the filmmaker added that a final call will be taken after the second edition arrives in cinemas. He reiterated that he has the story and if the cinegoers like Stree 2, he will plan the third outing.

From reels to big screen

Yashraj Mukhate, who became famous for his social media reel, Rasode mein kaun tha, based on the television show Saath Nibhana Saathiya, is set to foray into feature films. He makes his debut as a music composer with the Marathi film, Ek Don Teen Char. Excited about his composition, Love chumbak, for the Jio Studios production, he says, "I've never heard any of my tracks in a movie theatre." Crediting director Varun Narvekar's brief and the quirky situation of the song, Yashraj adds, "I'm hoping people recognise me as a composer with Love chumbak, and not just as a social media content creator."

Realty bytes

Tamannaah Bhatia has leased a commercial property along Juhu Tara Road in Mumbai for the next five years. She closed the deal last week, paying a stamp duty of R2.9 lakh. She has reportedly made a deposit of R72 lakh on the property and will pay a rent of R18 lakh per month, which will be hiked to R20.16 lakh in the fourth year, followed by R20.96 lakh in the fifth year. Tammy also mortgaged her three properties located in Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West, collectively measuring 2,595 sq ft, with a nationalised bank for R7.84 crore. She also paid a stamp duty of R4.7 lakh on the mortgage transaction.