Amitabh Bachchan joins cast of Nag Ashwin's film with Prabhas and Deepika Padukone

"Welcoming with a full heart, the pride of a billion Indians. The Amitabh Bachchan. Our journey just got BIG-ger! https://youtu.be/ejugTJB-MwM #NamaskaramBigB @SrBachchan Folded hands #Prabhas @deepikapadukone @nagashwin7 @AshwiniDuttCh

Welcoming with a full heart, the pride of a billion Indians. The Amitabh Bachchan. Our journey just got BIG-ger!https://t.co/bmG2GXBODh#NamaskaramBigB @SrBachchan #Prabhas @deepikapadukone @nagashwin7 @AshwiniDuttCh@SwapnaDuttCh @VyjayanthiFilms

— Vyjayanthi Movies (@VyjayanthiFilms) October 9, 2020

It may be noted that Amitabh Bachchan made his Tollywood debut with Chiranjeevi's Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy. In the film, he was seen playing Chiru's mentor in a cameo.This film will also mark the second collaboration of Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone after Shoojit Sircar’s Piku.

Produced by C Ashwini Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies banner, Prabhas 21 is going to be made at an estimated budget of Rs 400 crore. The principal photography will commence in November and the makers are planning to release the film in Telugu, English, Hindi and other languages.

On roping in Amitabh Bachchan, producer Aswini Dutt said in an official statement that's he's thrilled to be associated with him. “The late legendary Shri NTR was an admirer of Shri Amitabh Bachchan and had even acted in the Telugu remakes of a few of his superhit Bollywood films. Shri NTR and I had watched the landmark film Sholay several times when it ran for over a year at NTR's Ramakrishna Theatre. After all these years, it is truly a glorious and immensely satisfying moment for me to welcome Indian cinema’s greatest icon, Shri Bachchan to be a part of this prestigious movie under our banner, Vyjayanthi Movies. It is a production house that began its cinematic journey with Shri NTR and also was named by him,” said producer Aswini Dutt.

Nag Ashwin’s last film Mahanati, which was a biopic of late legendary actor Savitri became a blockbuster and also went on to win three National Awards this year, along with international recognition in festivals across the world.

#NamaskaramBigB Not a guest role or a special appearance...but a full length role so important, tht his characters name was the working title of an early draft...thank you @SrBachchan sir for the privilege...we will make it worthy of your time  #Prabhas #DeepikaPadukone https://t.co/tdX9ghABku

— Nag Ashwin (@nagashwin7) October 9, 2020

Meanwhile, Prabhas has also got  an upcoming magnum opus titled Adipurush. The film will be directed by Om Raut and produced by Bhushan Kumar under the T Series banner. The makers had confirmed that the film will be an adaptation of a popular Indian epic. Adipurush will be Prabhas's third film with producer Bhushan Kumar after Saaho and Radhe Shyam, and his first film with director Om Raut, who recently directed the Ajay Devgn and Sai Ali Khan starrer Tanhaji.

Actor Saif Ali Khan has been roped in as the primary antagonist in Adipurush while it has been confirmed that Prabhas will play Lord Ram. Saif Ali Khan will be seen as Lankesh, another popular name for Raavan. It's worth mentioning that Saif had also played the antagonist in director Om Raut's last film Tanhaji, which was a multiplex hit. The project is currently in its pre-production stage and will go on the floors next year. The makers are eyeing a massive 2022 release. The makers are yet to reveal the rest of the cast and crew. However, talks are underway with several leading actors from Bollywood to play crucial roles.

Meanwhile, Prabhas currently has Radhe Shyam in the making which is being directed by Radha Krishna Kumar. The project went on the floors in January earlier this year. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the team successfully wrapped up the Georgian schedule in March and returned to India safely. According to latest reports, the team is currently camped in Italy for the next schedule where the balance portion is to be wrapped. On the technical front, Amit Trivedi has been roped in to compose the tunes for this flick. Award-winning art director Sabu Cyril is in charge of the sets, for which a major portion of the budget has been allocated.