Actor Shravya Rao is enthusiastic about playing diverse roles and feels excited about her upcoming film, Mayanagari. Ahead of its release this week, she expresses hope that such roles will bring new opportunities and recognition for her talent. "Intentionally exploring various roles is what keeps me passionate about my career," she shared.

Besides acting, Shravya has also delved into costume designing for Mayanagari. "Collaborating with director Shankar Aradhya added depth to my experience. I approached the directors with the idea of costume design for a standout song, and they wholeheartedly supported it," she revealed.
Describing her role as Mallika, Shravya painted her as more than just a character. "Mallika isn't just a persona. She's an enigmatic presence with layers of backstory and struggles, adding depth to the narrative," she explained.

Acknowledging the film's delay, she said, "The story's impact in Mayanagari transcends time. Its essence remains regardless of its release date. Every emotional portrayal, every challenge faced to play the character Mallika was a learning curve. In general, I prepare meticulously for every role I take on, aiming to deliver my best," emphasised Shravya, who was excited to perform stunts for the first time in Mayanagari. "Being part of some fight sequences was challenging, but I'm proud of the outcome," she says.

We had previously reported that Prajwal Devaraj’s 40th project will be directed by one-film-old director Gurudatha Ganiga. The film’s title, Karavali, was unveiled amidst fanfare in Mangaluru on Sunday. The first look poster, accompanied by an intriguing teaser, hints at an intense action narrative set in the coastal belt. The plot revolves around Kambala, a popular race in Tulunadu, earlier glorified in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara.

The teaser promo of Karavali offers a glimpse into the film’s alluring world and reveals Prajwal Devaraj’s unique appearance. The tagline Human v/s Animals symbolises the birth of two new lives – a mother giving birth to her child and a buffalo giving birth to its calf – hinting at the relationship, and conflicts between humans and animals.

Gurudatha Ganiga, who debuted with the Ambareesh starrer Ambi Ning Vayassaytho, wears multiple hats for Karavali as a writer, director, and producer. Sharing his insight into the project’s conception, Gurudatha says, “The original plotline is by Chandrashekar Bandiyappa. It is a unique story for me and holds special significance as it is based on an incident that took place in my hometown. I’ve wanted to bring this film to the screen for a long time but was unsure of its reception by the audience. However, we have realised that today’s audience, post-Covid, has evolved. They are seeking content, and I am confident they will embrace this kind of subject wholeheartedly. That’s the strength we get from the Kannada audience. Even if I have told this plot to around 9 people, they’ve mentioned not hearing a similar story before. So, it’s rooted in culture, spanning from Karavali to Kasaragod to Bhatkal. There are numerous stories to explore from the coastal belt, and this is among the first of its kind,” he expresses.

Regarding working with Prajwal Devaraj, he shares, “He has never experienced such a subject. We’ll be exploring a different side of him, unexplored thus far, through Karavalli. This film will delve into the uncharted territories of Prajwal’s capabilities.”

The film, produced by Gurudatha Ganiga Films, in association with VK Films, Karavali will have Abhimanyu Sadanand handling cinematography, art by Guna and music will be scored by Sachin Basrur.

Nirup Bhandari started his acting career with his brother and director Anup Bhandari in Rangitaranga, and followed it up with notable characters in films like Rajaratha, Vikrant Rona, Adhi Lakshmi Purana, and Window Seat, respectively. The actor is currently engaged in a film with veteran Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, and he has recently given the green light to debutant director Sachin Vaali’s project.

The team recently initiated the project with a script pooja. Sharing some insights about the upcoming film, Sachin says, “We’re bringing a family-oriented commercial entertainer that delves into the complexities of truth and falsehood. It’s a film blending comedy and action, revolving around a social cause. We plan to start film shooting in January 2024.”

While Nirup has been finalised as the lead actor, the team is currently in the process of selecting the rest of the cast. Produced by Ankit Sonigara for Ankket Cinemas, the film is co-produced by Prashant Mulage.
The untitled film will have music by Sachin Basrur, art direction by Ullas Hydur, and cinematography by Sandeep Valluri.

Athi I Love You, directed by Lokendra Surya and starring alongside Om Prakash's daughter, Shravya Rao, made it to theatres on December 7.

Discussing the challenges of drawing audiences in today's cinematic landscape, Lokendra Surya highlighted, "Our team devised a special strategy to attract moviegoers, offering fortunate couples selected through a draw tickets and a coupon for a trip to Goa, with their identities revealed later."

This film produced by Red and White Seven Raj and distributed by Seven Raj Arts, narrates a day-long tale set within a household, focusing on the intimate moments shared by a married couple. Lokendra Surya expanded on this theme, noting, "The modern era, characterized by technological advancements, poses struggles for couples living separately. Relationships have been weakened by numerous minor issues."

"The suspenseful plot unravels with precisely timed revelations that keep the audience thoroughly engaged," added Lokendra Surya, who takes on multiple responsibilities as a story writer, dialogue writer, editor and cinematographer while headlining the film. Anantt Aryan handles the music, and costumes are designed by Ritu Chaitra.

Rocking Star Yash along with KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, unveiled the title of Yash19 as Toxic – A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups, ending his year-and-a-half silence, and confirming the long-awaited collaboration with critically acclaimed director Geetu Mohandas.

The carefully planned project, marked by unwavering commitment, finally unveiled its title teaser, showcasing grandeur and attention to detail.

Accompanied by the quote, ‘What you seek is seeking you’ from Rumi, Toxic sets the stage as a Fairy Tale for Grown-ups teased by a glimpse of half-burnt playing cards ominously falling into darkness. The captivating visuals merge seamlessly with an intriguing tune, featuring Yash in a cowboy getup, exuding mystery while puffing on a cigar and wielding a unique firearm, promising an electrifying narrative. The title teaser, now the talk of the town, leaves viewers eager for more clues about what seems to be an international gangster thriller!

Toxic to get a global multilingual release

The makers of Toxic are preparing to kick start shooting soon with the release date as April 10, 2025- precisely three years post the release of KGF: Chapter 2. Several reasons underlie this choice of release date, notably the start of an extended holiday season from April 10, followed by Vishu on April 14, and the Easter weekend with April 17 and 18 as holidays.

Toxic , promising a vast canvas and significant budgets, is also said to be lined up for a global multilingual release. Yash, director Geetu Mohandas, and producer Venkat K Narayana of KVN Productions have ambitious plans for Toxic . Despite its roots as a pan-India film, the project envisions something more substantial – a pioneering global release spanning several languages worldwide, owing to its universal script. However, further details about this expansive approach will be gradually revealed in due course.

London-based composer Jeremy Stack to compose music for Toxic

The title teaser scored a big win with its captivating background music. As per insider information, the BGM is orchestrated by Jeremy Stack, recognized for his work in Gangs of London and other distinctive projects. The music director will handling the entire score of Yash’s TOXIC. Additionally, renowned DOP Rajeev Ravi, and husband of director Geetu Mohandas is said to be handling the cinematography.

Shruti Haasan on board, Toxic

While reports suggest an ensemble cast joining the team, three prominent leading ladies are set to star alongside Yash. Although the makers have kept casting details discreet, our source has revealed that one of these finalised female actors is Shruti Haasan. The actor who is eagerly awaited the much-anticipated project, Salaar, ventures into another ambitious film co-starring Yash. Interestingly, Shruti Haasan is also said to have lent her voice to the title track, apart from  playing one of the female leads.  Shruti’s involvement in the project and further details on the cast will be officially revealed soon.

As announced earlier, the title of Yash's 19th film, helmed by Geetu Mohandas, was unveiled on Friday. With a title teaser, the makers have revealed that the film is named Toxic– A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups. 

The title reveal comes almost after a year-and-a-half of silence from Yash. The teaser has mysterious background music and starts with visuals of tickets carrying Joker prints. We then see Yash with a gun in his machine hand, and a hat, smoking in style.

Speaking about the film, producer Venkat K Narayana said, "Collaborating with Rocking Star Yash for our most ambitious project has been an absolute delight. Yash and Geetu have meticulously crafted something dynamic with a compelling narrative and powerful action. I'm eagerly anticipating the world's response to this spectacular and monumental film."

Geetu Mohandas was also quoted saying, "I've always pushed boundaries in my narrative style. While Liars Dice and Moothon received international acclaim, I've longed to connect with audiences in my homeland. This project stemmed from that aspiration. It's a fusion of contrasting storytelling realms, and discovering Yash, one of the most brilliant minds, has been incredibly exciting. I'm thrilled for our team to embark on this enchanting journey."

Toxic is co-produced by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations. The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on April 10, 2025.

Manoj Bajpayee in Bengaluru to promote his upcoming film, Joram, went on a college spree, where he interacted with students and talked about much awaited gripping survival thriller.It was a delightful moment for the actor, with students praising Manoj Bajpayee's career and contributing to anticipating the film's release through their enthusiastic support for Joram.

Expressing his joy about the college visit, Manoj shared, "Being here in Bangalore, especially connecting with the vibrant youth, is truly special. The energy here is infectious, and I'm thrilled to meet everyone. Joram holds a special place in my heart, and I'm eager for everyone to experience it."

In Joram, Manoj Bajpayee takes on an unprecedented role, portraying a man on the run in this intense thriller. The film's unique storyline and Bajpayee's unmatched acting skills have already sparked excitement among fans, making 'Joram' one of this year's most eagerly anticipated global releases.

Directed, written, and crafted by Devashish Makhija and produced by Shariq Patel, Ashima Avasthi Chaudhuri, Anupama Bose, and Devashish Makhija, Joram is a collaboration between Zee Studios and MakhijaFilm. Starring Manoj Bajpayee and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, the film boasts Piyush Puty handling the cinematography, Abhro Banerjee taking care of the editing, and Mangesh Dhakde composing the music.

From the streets of Malnad to the grand stage of cinema, Bharat Sagar, who has extensive experience in stage acting, had dreams of portraying diverse roles in cinema. Despite facing some initial challenges upon entering the industry, he is delighted to have found an opportunity in Shankar Aradhya's Mayanagari, which is set for a December 15 release and has him sharing screen space with Anissh Tejeshwar, Shravya Rao in principal roles.

"Just as I was persistently seeking opportunities in cinema, I received a call for an audition for Mayanagari. Without delay, I went for the audition, and everything changed since then. Finding such a pivotal role so soon could be considered my stroke of luck. All the credits should rightfully go to Shankar sir," Bharat shares.

Mayanagari, blending elements of comedy, romance, and action, showcases Aniish as an aspiring director in Shankar Aradhya's directorial debut, which also has a story and screenplay by him Produced by Sandalwood Pictures and Shweta Shankar, the film has music by Arjun Janya,  and cinematography by Srinivas.

The title Ladies Bar may give the impression that the film is centered around drinking, but, the creators of the film share that, Ladies Bar doesn’t solely focus on that. “We’ve aimed to deliver a more substantial message to society and it will be evident upon watching the movie,” mentioned director Mutthu AN Raju during the recent teaser and song release on the Siri Music audio label.

“We primarily filmed in Bangalore and have plans to release the film in January,” he added. TM Somaraju, the producer, who also plays a significant role, shared, “I had no prior experience in the cinema industry. It was Rajashekhar, my friend, who introduced me to this field. I found the director’s story compelling, leading me to produce and act in a pivotal role.” 

Starring Ganesh Rao and Aradhya in the lead, Ladies Bar has music by Harish, cinematography by Veena Murti, and dialogues by Jaggu Master.