Sithara Entertainments, which recently bagged the Telugu remake rights of Malayalam film Ayyappanum Koshiyum, also obtained the rights for the remake of Malayalam romantic thriller Kappela. The announcement was made in July, and it was initially rumoured that Anna Ben, who played the original lead role, would reprise her character in the remake as well. However, the latest update is that 16-year-old Anikha Surendran, who started her career as a child actor and starred in films such as Yennai Arindhaal and Viswasam, has been signed for the Telugu version of the remake. This project marks Anikha’s Tollywood debut, as well as her debut as a lead actor.
The casting for the remakes of Ayyappanum Koshiyum and Kappela are yet to be finalised. However, rumours suggest that Nandamuri Balakrishna and Rana Daggubati will star in the Telugu remake of Ayyappanum Koshiyum. Originally directed by Sachy, the film tells the story of its title characters, Ayyappan Nair and Koshy Kurian, who lock horns over an incident and the ensuing events. While Biju Menon played the character of Ayyappan Nair, a policeman with unblemished records, Prithviraj was seen as a retired army havildar Koshy Kurian, who had put in 16 years of service.
The shoot for Kappela’s Telugu remake is expected to begin from January next year. The makers are yet to formally launch the project. Directed by Muhammad Musthafa, the story of Kappela begins as a romance and transitions into a thriller built on deception and judgment. The film takes on the concepts of good and bad and spins them an interesting way. The film, which is currently streaming on Netflix India, stars Anna Ben, Roshan Mathew of Choked fame and Srinath Bhasi in lead roles.
Anikha Surendran was last seen in the Malayalam movie Johny Johny Yes Appa, and is a popular child actor in the south Indian film industry. She has won the hearts of her audiences through Malayalam movies like Kadha Thudarunnu and Bhaskar the Rascal, and Tamil movies Yennai Arindhaal, Viswasam and Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. Recently, Anikha made her web series debut with Queen, based on the life of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, which was directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. Anikha was seen as the younger version of Jayalalithaa. The star cast includes Anjana Jayaprakash, Ramya Krishnan and Indrajith Sukumaran, and the series will soon return for its second season.
(Content provided by Digital Native)