31 December 2022
Hyderabad

While it’s still six months away from hitting the road, buzz about superstar Mahesh Babu’s next with hitmaker SS Rajamouli is only escalating day by day. Such is the power of the combination. The untitled film, as Rajamouli said in the West, is a globe-trotting action adventure. “Indiana Jones is one of my all-time favourite movies. And I want to do something like Indiana Jones and Dan Brown’s kind of novels. I love them (the latter). (We) are thinking of figuring out something in that space. A globetrotting adventure is what we are planning next. It’s too early in the writing stages,” said the filmmaker last month in the US.

Now, speaking to a Bollywood portal, Rajamouli’s father and writer of his films, K Vijayendra Prasad, said the film is being developed as a franchise. “Of course. Sequels will follow.” While implying that stories in the sequels will change, he said the central characters, however, will remain the same (Indian Jones style). Prasad is right now in the process of locking the script.

The project, which will be Mahesh’s 29th, will mark Durga Arts chief KL Narayana’s return to the production fold after 2006 release Rakhi. Known to be extremely choosy with his work, his credits include Kshana Kshanam, Santosham and Hello Brother among other films.