The promo video for Anushka Shetty's Bhaagamathie was launched on Wednesday, a few days ahead of the film's release.

The video starts with a gyrating dancer – the cue that the hero is going to appear on screen, surrounded by adoring women. But the hero of Bhaagamathie is Anushka Shetty and it is she who walks into the picture. Is this perhaps for the first time that we've had an 'item' song without any man in the visuals?!

Anushka is in command as she dances along, shifting between a shimmery dress and more casual, rapper clothes. We also see shots from the making of the film, as the towering Anushka transforms into Bhaagamathie. One of them shows a man who looks a LOT like actor Prabhas with his face covered. Prabhas played Amarendra Baahubali opposite Anushka in the Baahubali franchise.

The song, composed by Thaman, is quite catchy and is an interesting choice for a film that looks like a good portion of it will be set in the past or in a mythic land. Directed by G Ashok, the film also stars Unni Mukundan.

The trailer of Bhaagamathie, which reminded fans of Anushka's powerful portrayals over the years, beginning from Arundhati, has upped the expectations from the film greatly. This will be Anushka's first release after the phenomenal success of Baahubali 2, in which she played the striking Devasena.

The actor is among the few women stars in the industry who've consistently done films centred around their character. She, along with Nayanthara, is one of the highest paid women stars in the south.

Bhaagamathie will release in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu on January 26.

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