Sai Kumar and Radhika Sarathkumar to headline Telugu original web show - Gaalivaana

In a first, veteran actors Sai Kumar and Radhika Sarathkumar are OTT bound. The duo will collaborate and play the leads in a Telugu show called Gaalivaana, which is the adaptation of a European series. The show, directed by Sharan Kopisetty of Thimmarasu fame, will have Sujatha Siddhartha as the cinematographer and star Chandini Chowdary, Nandini Rai, Chaitanya Krishna, Thagubothu Ramesh, Jyothi Pradeep, and Ashritha Vemuganti.

Sai Kumar, who is celebrating 50 years of being an actor, having first taken the stage way back in 1972, has been doing “good and challenging roles”, in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil, which, he says, keeps him going on his showbiz journey. Gaalivaana will be an apt addition to his long illustrious career, as it marks his foray into the OTT space. As for Radhika, the versatile actress has been a successful film artiste, besides taking the TV segment by storm over the years. She is embarking on an exciting journey in the OTT space now.

"We have already started the shoot of the web series. It's the first time that a European show has been adapted into Telugu. Suitable changes have been made to the original to suit the Telugu nativity," NorthStar Entertainment and ZEE5 have said. BBC is entering the regional market with the show.

Meanwhile, in Kannada, Sai Kumar is gearing up for the release of the Sharan starrer Avatara Purusha, in which he plays an Ayurveda specialist, and is joined by his brother Ayyappa Sharma in the film. The film reunites him with Sudharani, who has played his heroine in the past, while it also marks his first collaboration with Bhavya. He will also be seen in Rowdy Fello, which marks the directorial debut of RJ and actor Rohitt.