The Archies' Vedang Raina roped in opposite Alia Bhatt in Vasan Bala's new venture; shooting begins soon

Vedang Raina, who is soon making his acting debut with Zoya Akhtar's The Archies, has bagged another big project. The newcomer has been roped in to star opposite Alia Bhatt in Vasan Bala's upcoming action-thriller film, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.

According to Pinkvilla, Vedang impressed Karan and Vasan with his performance in the rushes of The Archies, which also features Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Nanda. The film is a digital adaptation of the popular comic book series of the same name.

Vedang will play the love interest of Alia in the yet-untitled film, which revolves around a prison break. The film is expected to go on floors in September this year and will have a theatrical release in the second half of 2024.

"Vedang will be making his acting debut in the digital world with the Zoya Akhtar-directed The Archies alongside Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda. The Vasan Bala film will mark his first foray into the world of theatrical business. Karan and Vasan were impressed with his performance in the rushes of The Archies and believe that he fits the bill," a source told Pinkvilla.

"In August, Alia Bhatt and Vedang will have multiple script reading sessions to break the ice. In fact, there will also be action workshops as the premise of Vasan Bala's film has ample of action. The core plot is centered around a prison break," the source added.

Vedang is an aspiring actor and model who hails from Delhi. He has done several commercials and photoshoots before landing his first acting gig with The Archies. He is also active on social media and has a fan following of over 50k on Instagram.

Alia, on the other hand, is one of the most sought-after actresses in Bollywood. She has several big projects lined up for release, including Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Baiju Bawra and Heart of Stone. She is also reportedly a part of YRF's first female-led spy universe film and Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.