Veteran producer Suresh Babu can be called as an intelligent businessman and his known for his calculations. He is one producer who is quite choosy and is completely focused on his productions. Suresh Babu was completely impressed with the work of Tharun Bhascker during Pelli Choopulu and he inked a three film deal with the young director. His next outing Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi is hitting the screens this Friday and Suresh Babu is said to have completely impressed with the output of the film.

The latest news is that Tharun is currently penning a script that would suit Rana. The film too will be produced by Suresh Babu and Tharun is ready to wait for Rana till he completes his current commitments. There are even talks that if Rana stays unavailable, Suresh Babu is keen on going ahead with another hero. Tharun Bhascker wanted to direct Abhiram (younger son of Suresh Babu) long ago but the project did not materialize. On the whole, Suresh Babu is currently focused on Tharun Bhascker and his next project will be announced soon.

Rana Daggubhati is one of the busiest stars in South as he juggles between different projects at a time. He is now shooting for his upcoming films which are in different stages of production.

The latest reports suggest that the Baahubali star will take a short break to undergo an eye surgery. Rana’s right eye needs to be operated as it has been giving a high level of discomfort since many levels.

Due to hectic schedules, he has neglected treatment and that has been a cause of concern for him. Also, high blood pressure is a hindrance for the operation.

His father and star producer Suresh Babu confirmed that he will undergo operation in a foreign country and he will take a break from his movies.

Actor Rana Daggubati says he falls in a category of neutral actors, and has always believed in getting involved in content with no regional barriers.

“I interestingly fall under a category of neutral actors and filmmakers who have been constantly involved in content with no regional barriers,” Rana told IANS.

“‘Baahubali’ was really the film that broke most barriers of what regional cinema can do nationally. I hope that more films like these are made, and can make the impact that ‘Baahubali’ was able to,” added the actor, who is pushing content of all type with his Kwan South, a joint venture with Kwan Entertainment.

The actor, who has worked in the southern film industry as well as in Bollywood, feels it is important to find content that is nationally applicable.

“I was able to find that very early into my career because I started working in the films at a very young age. In the process of filmmaking, language is only one of the aspects, content has always been neutral,” he said.

Rana is known for his portrayal of an evil king pitted against his cousin brother in the “Baahubali” franchise, and as a naval officer in “Ghazi”. He has also lent his voice to the character of supervillain Thanos for the Telugu version of Hollywood film “Avengers: Infinity War”.

Rana says “historically content has mostly travelled in the form of remakes, which have been popularly appreciated”.

“Hindi cinema has continued to make Telugu remakes and vice versa, very rarely did the actors or the films cross-over to make it big.”

What are the challenges that come with it?

“There were fewer people believing in the possibility, but with ‘Ghazi’ as a genre film and ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ and ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ on a much larger scale, are regional Telugu films that worked pan-India. The only challenge you have, is in the process of making the film; you need to know different languages and be very patient.

“Today, there are a lot more people who are willing to explore this opportunity.”

On the film front, he is working on “Haathi Mere Saathi” and “Hiranya Kashyap”.

Actor Rana Daggubati has lent his voice to the character of Thanos for the Telugu version of Hollywood film “Avengers: Infinity War”.

Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War”, which features an ensemble of superheroes, will release worldwide on April 27.

Disney India, in a move to expand its localisation efforts, has signed on Rana to lend his voice for the villainous character.

“I’ve grown up reading Marvel Comics and Marvel movies with their intricately woven storylines. It is fascinating to see how Marvel has created characters and stories that resonate so well with audiences across the globe, making movies at a scale that one had never before imagined,” Rana said in a statement.

“Characters such as Iron Man and Captain America have been my favourites. So dubbing for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ was thrilling. Voicing for Thanos, a villain so powerful that some of the biggest superheroes have a tough time dealing with, was an exciting experience,” added the actor, who has finished dubbing for the movie.

“This year marks a milestone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it turns 10 and to add to the excitement, we are releasing ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ – the biggest superhero crossover one has ever seen,” said Bikram Duggal, Executive Director and Head, Studio Entertainment, Disney India.

Duggal added acekeeping with the anticipation around the movie, we are offering our fans in South India an opportunity to experience the grandeur of the movie in a language that they prefer”.

“With Rana Daggubati coming on board as the voice of Thanos, we are confident of reaching out to a wider audience base while retaining the magnitude and staying true to the ethos of the Marvel brand,” Duggal said.

Disney India adopted a similar strategy for “The Jungle Book” in 2016, signing on Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan, Nana Patekar, late Om Puri and Shefali Shah, to bring to life the characters in the Hindi version of the film.

It was followed by roping in actor Varun Dhawan for Captain America in the movie “Captain America Civil War”.

“Avengers: Infinity War” is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and produced by Kevin Feige.

The movie stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch amongst others.

The film is releasing in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

After traversing multifarious roles, Tollywood’s macho star Rana Daggubati is all set to essay the role of a scientist in his Hollywood debut film.

According to the latest reports, the Baahubali star will make his Hollywood debut with a period drama which is based on the giant ship Vijil which vanished off the Gujarat coast in 1888. Rana will play a scientist who starts a research to find out the possibilities of its disappearance.

To be directed by Dhwanil Mehta, the film will be produced by a London based production house on a grand scale with massive VFX effects. The regular shooting is likely to commence in 2018.

Actor Rana Daggubati, who plays the lead in upcoming web series “Social” which was launched here on Thursday, believes the digital medium allows a creator to tell his story the way he desires.

“Social”, produced by video-on-demand platform Viu, is a Hindi-Telugu bilingual thriller that will shine the spotlight on the impact of social media in people’s lives.

Directed by Shashi Sudigala, the show goes on air on Friday. It also stars Naveen Kasturia, Priya Banerjee, Aradhana Uppal, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan and Preeti Asrani.

On signing the project, Rana told IANS: “Every story has a place where it deserves to be told. Not all stories are meant for the big screen.”

“Working on this show has helped me understand the medium better. It made me realise that it gives one the freedom to say a story the way he wants and write without restrictions,” he said.

Asked why he chose to venture into the digital space, Rana said it caters to different audiences.

“When I started acting, there were around 2,500 theatres in Andhra Pradesh (before bifurcation) but today the number has come down. Audiences have become busier and they want to invest their time and money on different mediums. I want to engage those people who want content on their phones,” he said.

Rana, who plays a powerful businessman in the show, is interested in exploring more opportunities in this medium.

Talking about the show, Rana said: “It’s about the darker side of social media. It’s a different world altogether.”

He clarified that the show doesn’t set out to prove social media is bad.

“Social media is just a platform. What some people decide to do with it results in something good or bad. The show is embedded with a message which I’m sure audiences will understand when they watch,” Rana added.

This is Rana’s second outing with Viu, with which he has already worked on the chat show “No 1 Yaari”.

“Baahubali” star Rana Daggubati on Wednesday was appointed the brand ambassador of Telugu Tigers team in the second edition of Premiere Futsal which kicks-off in Mumbai on September 15.

In a statement, it was also announced that Rana is the co-owner of the team.

Deco, the former Barcelona and Chelsea star, has been named as the marquee player for Telugu Tigers.

Rana is confident the team will rock in this year’s competition.

“It has been a matter of great pride and honour to be associated with Telugu Tigers in Premier Futsal. I am sure with Deco as a marquee player in the team; the Telugu Tigers will rock this year. I am also sure that my fans will come in large numbers to support my team in Premier Futsal across every centre,” Rana said in the statement.

On being signed as the team’s marquee player, Deco said: “I am really excited to have got an opportunity to travel to India and play in Premier Futsal. Unfortunately, I could not play last year in the inaugural edition due to injury but this year I am excited and looking forward for the experience.”

In Mumbai, the first round of matches will be played till September 17. The next round of matches will be played in Bengaluru from September 19. The semi-finals and final will be held in Dubai from September 26 to October 1.

The inaugural edition of Premier Futsal was played in 2016, and it was won by Mumbai 5s.

Actor Rana Daggubati, whose towering personality is hard to miss in the poster of his upcoming thriller digital series “Social”, says he is happy to work in a variety of genres and on different platforms.

Digital streaming platform Viu on Friday released the poster featuring the debonair Rana illustrating the question whether social media is a boon or a bane.

Rana is also presenting the bilingual fiction thriller that is being shot in Hindi and Telugu simultaneously.

Talking about it, the actor said in a statement: “This is my first digital fiction and I strongly feel that with ‘Social’ we are offering some exciting yet relevant content to our viewers.”

“It is a story that will connect with the digital-first audience and as an actor I am glad to be experimenting with different genres and platforms. Today, social media is a big part of our lives and with this show we are portraying the need to be aware of the reality and consequences of our actions in the digital world.”

Produced by Whacked Out Media and Guru Films, and set in Hyderabad, the 13-episode series is a story about four diverse individuals who come together to solve the mystery of a missing girl.

The show, to be launched on September 8, is based on the theme of social media and hopes to make people aware of the reality of cyber crimes and how internet also becomes the saviour.

Directed by Shashi Sudigala, the show will see the “Baahubali” star with Naveen Kasturia playing the protagonist.

Bollywood actor Priya Banerjee will be seen in the role of an aspiring actress in the show. Actors Aradhana Uppal, Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan and Preeti Asrani will also essay crucial roles in the series.

Naveen, who essays the role of the brother of the girl who goes missing, said: “This show is carefully created for the digital medium ensuring a captivating storyline for the audience who are open to viewing differentiated content.

“Working with Rana and Priya has been very exciting as well. While shooting we keep improvising a lot and try to keep the process a bit more dynamic.”

Priya is making her digital debut with the show, and she believes “digital platforms have a strong impact with their content on millennials”.