Deepika Padukone has joined the cast of Allu Arjun’s upcoming film with Atlee, the makers announced on Saturday, days after the actress exited Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Spirit.
Sharing a video carrying behind-the-scenes glimpses from the shoot, production house Sun Pictures wrote on X, “The Queen marches to conquer! Welcome onboard @deepikapadukone.”
The one-minute-16-second-long video begins with Atlee sitting on a couch with Deepika and going over her lines from a script. In the next few seconds, Deepika’s face is revealed. The subsequent scenes show Deepika shooting for action scenes in a MoCap suit. She rides a horse and wields a sword while filming for the high-octane VFX action sequences in the clip.
Deepika is currently embroiled in a swirling controversy over her exit from Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit. She was replaced by Triptii Dimri due to alleged disagreements over remuneration and unprofessional behaviour.
The upcoming film, tentatively titled AA22xA6, is billed as a magnum opus. Allu and Atlee have teamed up for the movie with the VFX team behind franchises like Avengers and Mission: Impossible.
Talking about the film in an interview, Atlee said, “A6 really consumes a lot of time and energy. We have almost finished the script. We are now in the prep stage. Very soon, a bang-on announcement will come your way with God's blessings. Wait for the casting. Definitely, I am going to surprise everyone. I’m not being pompous, but I feel A6 will make the country proud.”
On the work front, Allu was recently seen in the actioner Pushpa 2: The Rule. Also starring Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil, the film, a sequel to Allu’s 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise, follows sandalwood smuggler Pushpa Raj’s exploits after he gains control of the racket. Allu’s titular character operates at a global level in the sequel.
Pushpa 2 earned Rs 1,232.75 crore nett at the domestic box office by its 55th day in the theatres, according to industry data-tracking site Sacnilk. The film is currently streaming on Netflix.
Atlee last directed Jawan starring Shah Rukh Khan and Nayanthara. The Hindi action drama, released in 2023, is streaming on Netflix.