The trailer of Ustaad Bhagat Singh shows Pawan Kalyan as a fierce cop but reveals little similarity to Theri, amid long-standing speculation that the Telugu film could be remake of Vijay’s blockbuster

Last Updated: 11.46 AM, Mar 15, 2026
The trailer of upcoming Telugu film Ustaad Bhagat Singh starring actor-politician Pawan Kalyan in the lead role. While there had been many rumours that the film is the remake of Tamil film Theri starring Vijay, Ustaad Bhagat Singh director Harish Kalyan had denied it. Even as directors tend to veil the remake, the trailer often givens a clarity, like in the recent case of Jana Nayagan. which takes after Telugu film Bhagavanth Kesari. Similarly, the trailer of Ustaad Bhagat Singh also throws some light if the film is inspired from Theri.
Speculations were surrounding the upcoming Telugu film Ustaad Bhagat Singh starring Pawan Kalyan in the lead role, that the film is a remake of Vijay and Atlee’s commercial blockbuster Theri. A major reason for this is that in both the films, the protagonists are police officers and action-based dramas. Further, both the films have two female leads. However, in the newly released trailer of Ustaad Bhagat Singh, even as Pawan Kalyan appears as a cop, it does not draw any similarity with the elements of Theri so far.
While Theri is about a cop, who changes his identity and lives a quaint life as a bakery owner with his young daughter and her mother’s demise, the trailer of Ustaad Bhagat Singh does not share any of that. Instead, it shows Pawan Kalyan only as a macho cop, and appears in a singular getup, with no mention of any child artiste in the trailer.

Ustaad Bhagat Singh will be a prominent release this week and will hit theatres on March 19. The film will be cashing in the Eid weekend. Also starring Raashii Khanna and Sreeleela, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is written and directed by Harish Shankar. The music for Ustaad Bhagat Singh is scored by Devi Sri Prasad, with background score by Thaman S.