Nagarjuna may play Karna’s role in Mohanlal’s Mahabharata
Tollywood star Nagarjuna has revealed that he has been approached for a key role in The Mahabharata, starring Malayalam Superstar Mohanlal as the protagonist.
The 58-year-old actor talking to a leading newspaper revealed that the talks are on, while he is not sure how long it will take for the things to finalise. “Director Sukumaran had initiated the talks with me some time ago for Karna’s role. But, nothing is finalised yet and I’m not too sure how long does it take for things to shape up,” he said.
So far, only Mohanlal has been finalised to play the role of Bheema, the central character of the film, which is based on renowned writer MT Vasudevan Nair’s classic Randaamoozham. The Mahabharata would be the costliest film ever made in India as the projected budget of the film is Rs 1000 crore.
The filmmakers have been considering some of the big names of Indian cinema. Given the scale of the production, it will also have many international technicians and actors in its cast and crew.
“This film will have an identity across continents, with their representatives donning the myriad characters in ‘The Mahabharata’. A global team led by an internationally renowned casting director will handpick the cast,” the filmmakers said earlier.
The Mahabharata will be split into two parts and the film has been scheduled to go on floors in 2018. While the first part will hit the screens in 2020, the second part will release within 90 days after that.
The Mahabharata will be directed by VA Shrikumar Menon, who is currently helming Mohanlal’s Odiyan. And the project is bankrolled by the UAE-based Indian businessman, BR Shetty.
