First video glimpse of Naga Chaitanya-Sai Pallavi's 'Thandel' out
Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's upcoming Telugu film Thandel was announced in November 2023 and will be his 23rd film in a lead role. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, it also marks Chaitanya's third collaboration with him after Premam in 2016 and Savyasachi (2018). On Saturday, the makers provided a sneak peek into the world of Thandel and going by the first glimpse video, it looks like the film will be a cross-border adventure patriotic thriller.
Breakdown of the video
In the 2:11-minute-long clip, we see Chaitanya's character anchoring a ship as the Indian flag flows in the background. He talks about reveling in a hunt, and then, the plot suddenly shifts to Central Jail, Karachi, where he is tortured cruelly. An unfazed, determined Chaitanya then says in Hindi, "Bharat Mata Ki Jai! (Hail, Mother India!)" We also briefly see Pallavi on a beach. Thandel is reportedly inspired by true events involving fisherfolk from Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh.
Watch the video here
Preparations and production details of 'Thandel'
Per reports, Mondeti and Chaitanya visited the K Matchilesam village in Srikakulam to engage with local fisherfolk and gain insights into their culture, land, and way of life to fathom better the idea about the film's milieu and characters. Thandel is produced by Bunny Vas under the banner of Geetha Arts, featuring music by National Film Award-winning composer Devi Sri Prasad. Shamdat is in charge of the cinematography, while Naveen Nooli is spearheading the editing department.
Chaitanya has called it 'once-in-a-lifetime role'
In a recent conversation with News18, Chaitanya said, "It's (Thandel) an interesting story. It is based on true events that occurred in Andhra Pradesh in 2018." "It's a love story but inspired by real live events that happened to some Srikakulam fishermen. It's an inspiring story, which also questions the politics of the time." "It's a once-in-a-lifetime role," he added. Thandel is his second film with Pallavi after Love Story, which was released in 2021.
Recent projects of both leads
Chaitanya recently made a splash in the world of OTT web series with his debut in the supernatural horror thriller Dhootha, directed by Vikram K Kumar. The series also starred Parvathy Thiruvothu, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Prachi Desai, and Pasupathy, among others. Pallavi, on the other hand, was last seen in the critically celebrated Gargi (2022) and is signed for Sivakarthikeyan's upcoming film with Rajkumar Periyasamy, tentatively titled SK21. She's also allegedly a part of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.
