After a rough patch filled with disappointing films, Naga Chaitanya got back on track with Thandel, a blockbuster movie. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, and starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, the film not only salvaged his career but also got people talking. He will now return to make his 24th film with Karthik Dandu (the director who made the award-winning film, Virupaksha).
Produced by B.V.S.N. Prasad under Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra banner, this new movie is a high-budget mystery thriller. Shooting is underway quickly, with Meenakshi Chaudhary playing the female lead in NC24.
Interestingly enough, Naga Chaitanya is taking a cue from his dad Nagarjuna when it comes to selecting upcoming projects. Nagarjuna, following his huge success with Kuberaa, is gearing up for the release of Coolie this August. But both these films don’t have Nagarjuna as the sole protagonist.
Sources say that Nagarjuna’s next solo starring film will be helmed by Tamil director R.A. Karthik, with talks already on. The announcement will likely be done on the occasion of Nagarjuna’s birthday in August. In addition to that, Naga Chaitanya is also negotiating with Tamil director P.S. Mithran, renowned for his suspenseful stories and working on Sardar 2 with Karthi. The duo is planning another thriller project to follow, as per reports.
Although the last few joint ventures involving Telugu actors and Tamil directors have been uneven, both Naga Chaitanya and Nagarjuna still have faith in Tamil directors. They have both assigned landmark films to them—Nagarjuna with NAG 100 and Naga Chaitanya with NC25. This risky tactic has generated heated debate among fans and industry observers regarding the possible risks and dividends.