Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi starrer Thandel launched in a grand ceremony in Hyderabad | Photos

Actors Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, last seen together in the film Love Story, have once again teamed up for their latest venture titled Thandel. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the film's much-awaited muhurtham ceremony took place in Hyderabad today, December 9. Naga Chaitanya will be seen playing the role of a fisherman in this film.

What do we know about the film Thandel?

Thandel will feature Naga Chaitanya in the role of a fisherman from the Vishaka region, embroiled in a tale involving fishermen who inadvertently cross the international maritime border. Sai Pallavi will play Chaitanya's partner and will be seen fighting for his release from the border in the film. The movie is being produced by Bunny Vaas' GA2 Pictures and presented by Allu Aravind.

Highlights from Thandel's muhurtham ceremony

Allu Aravind, speaking at the event, highlighted the film's solid subject and emphasised the commitment to ensure it stands as Naga Chaitanya's most high-budget venture to date. He also said, "We started this journey of Thandel one and a half years ago. We are happy that we completed the pooja ceremony today. The director and hero were so patient and worked vigorously to take us to the world of Thandel. After delivering a blockbuster, directors will usually have many offers. But Chandoo honoured the commitment. Usually, Rajamouli does that. Both Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi got excited when they first heard the story. We wanted to release the movie in other languages as well."

What did the lead actors say during the muhurtham ceremony?

The grand launch ceremony witnessed the presence of renowned personalities from the industry, including Nagarjuna and Venkatesh, among others. Speaking on the occasion, Allu Aravind expressed gratitude to the attendees for their dedication in the project.

Meanwhile, during the event, Sai Pallavi said, “Happy to see you all after one year. There’s so much positivity here. The director, writer, and producers all have a vision for this film. It has to come and reach you the right way. We all are hoping for the same.”

Naga Chaitanya said, “I’m happy, the pooja was performed today. As Aravind Garu said, we have been travelling with the script for one and a half years. I enjoyed every step of the pre-production process. The work happened collaboratively, starting from interacting with the locals in Srikakulam. We worked on Srikakulam slang. I haven’t had this much of an elaborate planning for any of my previous movies. I enjoyed this process. I still remember, Aravind garu came to my house 3-4 months back and suggested that this movie should be made properly. ‘This script has a lot of potential,’ he told me. ‘100%’ Love from this banner is one of the most memorable successes in my career. More than a director, Chandoo is a good friend. This is our third movie together. I’m looking forward to this journey. Sai Pallavi is such an encouraging actor. She is such a positive energy. We have a good team. I’m happy to associate with Devi Sri Prasad after a long time. We are planning to start the shooting after December 15th.”

The shooting for Thandel is slated to commence post-December 15, 2023.