Pan-India phenomenon Allu Arjun is breaking new grounds with his increasing popularity. Fresh from the blockbuster success of Pushpa 2. Riding the wave of this success, Allu Arjun is set to take on another mega project with much acclaimed director Atlee.
In the midst of such huge projects, one of Bunny’s abandoned films in the past — ICON — is resurfacing again. The film was first announced in 2019 and was to be directed by Venu Sriram and be produced by Dil Raju, starring Allu Arjun in the lead role. It was put on hold owing to changes in shooting schedules and priorities, when Venu went on to direct Vakeel Saab featuring Pawan Kalyan.
In the meantime, Allu Arjun hit a blockbuster with Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo and then came the high-octane Pushpa series. With the Pushpa franchise set to expand into a two-part saga, Bunny became fully engaged, leaving minimum space for ICON. Consequently, the movie was quietly relegated to the backseat.
Dil Raju initially wanted to bring back Allu Arjun on board, but since the actor had reportedly lost interest in the project, the team chose to plan an alternative. Director Venu Sriram has now turned towards his next project Thammudu with Nithiin, to be released on July 4.
Addressing the media recently, Dil Raju assured that ICON is indeed alive — but no more with Allu Arjun. Referring to it as an emotionally intense action drama, he teased a new direction for the film. The new lead actor is yet to be confirmed, but rumour mills in industry circles indicate that the team is considering powerful mid-tier heroes. Earlier, possibilities like Nithiin and Nani were considered, but an official communication is yet to happen.
With ICON once again in production and a new lead on the horizon, fans are waiting anxiously to find out which actor will be responsible for continuing the legacy of this much-delayed but much-anticipated movie.