Mumbai, March 18: Actor Randeep Hooda, who plays the menacing character of Ranatunga in the upcoming film “Jaat,” underwent a striking transformation for the Sunny Deol-starrer by gaining muscle weight and working on his voice modulation.

To bring the menacing character to life, a source close to the production revealed, “Randeep is known for his methodical approach to every role he takes on, and Jaat is no different. From day one, he was committed to making Ranatunga a truly fearsome villain.

“He grew out his hair to give the character a raw look and worked on his physique to add a more intimidating presence. His attention to detail is unmatched, and he ensures that no aspect of his performance feels inauthentic.”

This is not the first time Randeep has undergone a physical transformation; the actor pushed the envelope when it came to playing “Sarbjit” in 2016 and in “Swatantra Veer Savarkar,” which released in 2024.

“Whether it was Sarbjit, Swatantra Veer Savarkar, or now Jaat, Randeep never shies away from going the extra mile. His fans admire him for his ability to completely transform into the characters he plays, and with Ranatunga, they are going to see a version of Randeep that is darker, more menacing, and truly terrifying on screen,” he added.

Earlier, Randeep had said that he has played dark and layered characters before, but this role is just “pure evil.”

Speaking about playing Ranatunga in “Jaat,” Randeep had shared, “I’ve played dark and layered characters before, but Ranatunga is pure evil. He’s violent, unhinged, and operates with a kind of brutality that even shocked me while performing it.”

The actor said that “Jaat” is a film that dives into a world of raw, unapologetic crime.

“And my character sits at the center of that storm. I think our director, Gopichand Malineni, was so very clear about how he envisioned this character, and I completely took on what he had imagined for this role”.

“Jaat” is directed by Gopichand Malineni. It also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Saiyami Kher, and Regina Cassandra. The action choreography is done by Anal Arasu, Ram Laxman, and Venkat, who deliver a visual feast of exhilarating combat.

The film features the soundtrack composed by Thaman S. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers and People Media Factory, the film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu on April 10.

Chennai, Mar 17: The third instalment of director Sukumar’s immensely popular pan Indian frachise ‘Pushpa’, featuring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead, will release sometime in 2028, one of the film’s producers has now disclosed.

In a video interview, producer Yalamanchili Ravi Shankar of Mythri Movie Makers, the production house that has been producing the franchise, disclosed that ‘Pushpa 3’ will definitely happen and that it will release sometime in 2028.

Ravi Shankar said, “’Pushpa 3’ will definitely happen. Now, Allu Arjun is busy doing Atlee’s film. After that, he has another film with Trivikram. It is after these two films that he will work on ‘Pushpa 3’. It will take him two years to complete those two films.”

Similarly, he also explained what director Sukumar would be working on next. Ravi said, “Likewise, director Sukumar will work on a film with Ram Charan. After that, he will begin working on the story of Pushpa 3. Definitely, work on Pushpa 3 will begin in another two and a half years. This time around, we will not delay it that much. We will be there before you in three and a half years. So, we are in 2025. Sometime in 2028 Pushpa 3 will release.”

Pushpa 2, which was directed by ace director Sukumar and which features actor Allu Arjun in the lead, has just completed a triumphant 100-day run in theatres.

Pushpa 2: The Rule emerged as the biggest film of 2024, setting unparalleled examples of success since its release. From winning the hearts of the audience to breaking box office records, the film left its mark everywhere. Not only did it inaugurate the over ₹800 Crore club in Hindi, but it also crossed the ₹1800 Crore mark worldwide, making it India’s biggest and highest-earning film.

The film is a gripping story that revolves around Pushpa Raj — a man, who, after having had everything taken away from him, decides that he will not lose anything more in life to anyone.

The story tells his rise to the heights of power by becoming the head of a powerful syndicate that illegally deals in red sandalwood.

The film, which has three parts, is produced by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar writings with music on T Series. The second part released on December 5, 2024. Now, the third part will hit screens in 2028.

Mumbai, March 17: Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has revealed that he chose Punjabi sensation Diljit Dosanjh in his streaming hit film “Amar Singh Chamkila” because he is a live performer and knows about the kind of energy that comes when performing in front of the audiences.

Ali talked about the film and the actor on Komal Nahta’s Game Changers Podcast. He revealed how he meticulously crafted the film’s musical sequences, particularly the songs sung by Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra.

Asked about picturising the original Chamkila songs, Ali explained how he was inspired by live performances.

He stated, “When I used to watch Chamkila’s videos, which you can still find on YouTube, Chamkila and Amar Jyot’s videos, because they used to sing and also speak in between the songs.”

“Because they are singers, they’re singing or they said something in between or changed the singing style a little, which is the joy of a live performance. And a recorded performance is a fixed thing. But I wanted to shoot a live performance.”

Ali went on to express why he specifically chose Diljit for the role.

“I wanted Diljit Dosanjh in this film because he is a live performer. He knows that when you’re singing live with an audience, the kind of energy that comes, you change it accordingly. And he has done such a fabulous job. Because he not only made the live performances live but also made it live how Chamkila used to do it.”

“Amar Singh Chamkila” is a biographical drama film based on the life of musician Amar Singh Chamkila. Komal Nahta’s “Game Changers” streams on YouTube.

Imtiaz latest release is a short titled “Jules”, which features in the anthology “My Melbourne”.

“My Melbourne” has four stories about identity and belonging, inspired by true incidents in Melbourne, Australia. The film addresses themes of diversity, sexuality, gender, disability, and race, with each directed by Indian filmmakers Onir, Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, and Kabir Khan.