Neil Nitin Mukesh, Tamannaah to join Dileep in Arun Gopy’s big budget entertainer

In a reversal of trends, Malayalam cinema seems to be attracting big talents from other film industries. Dileep’s latest projects are proof of that. The actor, who will be working with Anupam Kher, Jagapati Babu and Prakash Raj in Rafi’s Voice of Sathyanathan, will next share screen space with Neil Nitin Mukesh and Tamannaah for his upcoming film with Arun Gopy.

The big budget film, which is set to go on floors next month, will kick off with a pooja function in the first week of September. While there were rumours that Suresh Gopi, Indrajith Sukumaran and Arjun Ashokan are also part of the cast, a source from the team tells OTTplay that the team has approached Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and Tamannaah for roles and both have apparently given their nods to be part of the big budget venture.

Neil had previously worked in South, in the Tamil movie Kaththi opposite Vijay and the pan-Indian Telugu production Saaho that had Prabhas in the lead. The upcoming Arun Gopy film will mark the Mollywood debut of both Tamannaah and Neil. Udaykrishna, whose recent Malayalam movies include Mohanlal’s Aarattu and Monster and Mammootty’s Christopher, has scripted the film, which is produced by Ajith Vinayaka.

Meanwhile, Dileep is currently shooting for Rafi’s Voice of Satyanathan in Mumbai. Apart from Joju George and Veena Nandakumar, the film also has Anupam Kher, Jagapathi Babu and Prakash Raj in pivotal roles. The entertainer, which deals with a serious subject, had wrapped up its Kerala schedule, before the team began shooting in Mumbai earlier this month. Delhi is another location of the movie, which is expected to be Dileep’s first theatrical release since the pandemic.

Dileep is also next set to begin work on a desi superhero film titled Parakkum Pappan, which is directed by debutant Viyaan Vishnu and scripted by Rafi. The movie apparently has Anirudh Ravichander as the music director.