Kalyani Priyadarshan to make Bollywood debut opposite Ranveer Singh in zombie thriller Pralay?
Kalyani Priyadarshan joins Ranveer Singh in Jai Mehta's zombie thriller Pralay. Marking Singh's production debut, the Pan-India film begins filming April 2026, inspired by Saramago’s Blindness.
Last Updated: 03.51 PM, Jan 04, 2026
A significant casting development for Bollywood: Kalyani Priyadarshan has been officially signed as the female lead opposite Ranveer Singh in the upcoming zombie action thriller Pralay. This is the actor's maiden venture into Bollywood after her unprecedented success in South Indian cinema, and it has been the topic of much industry gossip.
Who is directing Pralay?
Jai Mehta, who helmed Lootere and Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, will direct Pralay. The film represents a landmark moment for Singh, as it marks his debut as a producer. The project will be co-produced by Hansal Mehta of True Story Films and Sameer Nair of Applause Social, under the actor's newly established label, Maa Kasam Films.
Principal photography is expected to begin in April 2026. The film is reportedly being produced on a grand scale and will feature elaborate world-building and state-of-the-art visual effects to bolster its post-apocalyptic premise.
How has Kalyani Priyadarshan’s recent success paved her way to Bollywood?
With her commercial appeal at an all-time high, Kalyani breaks into the Hindi market. Following the giant success of her Malayalam film Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra, Kalyani is currently living a luxurious lifestyle. The Dulquer Salmaan-produced Dominic Arun film has broken records for both Malayalam box office receipts and female-led films in India.
Recently, the actor hinted on social media at a possible collaboration with Jai. Kalyani thanked the filmmaker for giving her the "first read of the year" while sharing a screenshot from José Saramago's Blindness novel. Rumour has it that Pralay, a zombie survival film, will adapt José Saramago's great literary masterpiece.
What does Pralay mean for Ranveer Singh’s career trajectory?
With the phenomenal success of his most recent spy thriller, Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh's Pralay represents a daring genre jump.
Pralay intends to introduce the zombie genre into the high-budget commercial arena, even though it is mostly unexplored in mainstream Bollywood (the only prominent forerunner being Raj & DK's Go Goa Gone [2013]).
What does Ranveer Singh’s 2026 release schedule look like?
Singh appears to have a busy schedule for 2026. The actor is getting ready for the March 19, 2026, release of Dhurandhar 2 before doing extensive research into the Pralay universe.
The film is now being marketed as a top Pan-India production starring Kalyani, which will connect the booming Malayalam industry with Bollywood.
Pralay FAQs:
Q: Who is the female lead in Ranveer Singh's movie Pralay?
A: Kalyani Priyadarshan has been officially signed as the female lead opposite Ranveer Singh in Pralay. This marks her Hindi film debut following the massive global success of her Malayalam blockbuster, Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra.
Q: Is the movie Pralay an adaptation of a book?
A: While not officially confirmed, there is strong speculation that Pralay is an adaptation of the acclaimed novel Blindness by José Saramago.
Q: Who is directing the zombie thriller Pralay?
A: Pralay is being directed by Jai Mehta, who has previously earned critical acclaim for his work on hit streaming series like Lootere and Scam 2003: The Telgi Story.