Rukmini Vasanth joins Jr NTR in Prashanth Neel's next: Report
What's the story
Kannada actor Rukmini Vasanth has been confirmed as the female lead in Jr NTR's upcoming action film, reported Mid-Day.
Initially rumored to have a cameo role, she will now play a pivotal character alongside NTR.
The film is directed by Prashanth Neel and marks his follow-up to the successful Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire (2023).
Vasanth is known for films such as Ace and Bagheera.
Role significance
Rukmini to play a powerful role
A source told Mid-Day, "With her performance in the two-part romantic drama Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, Rukmini showed that she could shoulder powerful roles."
"The director was looking for someone who could match Jr NTR's intensity. He felt that Rukmini had potential."
The film is set in 1969 and explores immigration with a larger-than-life hero at its center.
Production details
Filming began in March; Vasanth will join team in August
Filming for the untitled movie began in March at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. NTR joined the shoot in April's third week.
Vasanth is expected to join the team in August when crucial action and emotional scenes will be filmed.
The crew will be shooting across Karnataka and Hyderabad. The film is slated for a theatrical release on June 25, 2026.
The film is tentatively titled Dragon, but might be renamed to avoid confusion with a namesake Tamil movie.