Months after Jr NTR and filmmaker Prashanth Neel began shooting for their next, the working title of which is NTRNeel, it appears that the team has found its female lead. While rumours earlier suggested that Kannada actor Rukmini Vasanth was to feature in a cameo, mid-day has learnt that she has been roped in as the actioner’s female lead.

Rukmini Vasanth

The Telugu offering marks Neel’s next after the big-ticket Salaar: Part 1 — Ceasefire (2023). Set in 1969, it explores the theme of immigration with a larger-than-life hero at its centre. Though it is a testosterone-driven movie, the kind Neel is becoming synonymous with, sources say the female lead influences the narrative.