Stuntmaster-turned- director Ravi Varma is set to work with Shivarajkumar for his directorial debut to be made under Jayanna Combines. Titled Rustum, the film’s muhurath is planned for April 24, on Dr Rajkumar’s birth anniversary.
As City Express had earlier reported, Ravi Varma, who has roped in Anoop Seelin as the music director and Mufti cinematographer, Naveen Kumar, he is now in the process of finalising the cast.
Sources close to the film’s crew told us that the first-time director has found Rustum’s heroine in Shraddha Srinath. The makers were specific about roping in a Kannada heroine and Sharaddha fit the bill perfectly.
Meanwhile, the U-Turn heroine, who was last seen in Operation Alamelamma and having completed shoot for Godhra, has been waiting to be part of a good Kannada project coming her way. Sources say that Shraddha liked the film’s story and has okayed the project.
She is currently going through a very good phase in her career. Having made a niche for herself in the south Indian industry, Shraddha has just stepped into Bollywood with director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film, Milan Talkies. The film also has Ali Fazal whose film was recently nominated for an Oscar The actor has also caught the right kind of attention in Tamil industry with her name being associated with good projects and with some top heroes.
As fans will be elated about she associating with Shivarajkumar in Kannada, it is just a matter of signing on the dotted line, before the makers come up with an official announcement. More details to be out from the makers, about this fresh pairing and what kind of a role Shraddha gets into opposite Shivanna in Ravi Varma’s directorial debut.
Having to experiment with different genres, this film will be Shraddha’s first big commercial venture in Sandalwood and that has the Century star playing the role of a police officer. Shivarajkumar, who is currently occupied is juggling between shooting for The Villain and Kavacha will proceed with
Rustum and Lakki Gopal’s upcoming project, SRK.
Meanwhile, there was a strong buzz about Ravi Varma also looking to bring one of top Bollywood actors for his film, and names of Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty have been doing the rounds.”The makers are in the process of approaching actors. They are looking at someone who can fully commit to the project,” says our source.