Bollywood star Riteish Deshmukh is officially heading South. The versatile actor has been signed on for a pivotal role in the upcoming Telugu project tentatively titled RAPO23. The makers made the big announcement on Monday morning to celebrate the start of a new shooting schedule, sharing a 53-second behind-the-scenes video that has already set social media abuzz. While the clip captures Riteish arriving on set and chatting with lead actor Ram Pothineni, the production team has cleverly kept his look under wraps, ensuring his character remains a mystery for now.
This project marks a major milestone for both stars involved. While it serves as Riteish’s grand entry into the Telugu film industry, it also doubles as Ram Pothineni’s directorial debut. The film features Samyuktha as the female lead and boasts a high-octane technical crew, including cinematographer Thirunavukarasu, production designer AS Prakash, and music composer Sam CS. With action sequences choreographed by industry veterans Peter Hein, Vikram Mor, and Kevin, the team is currently busy filming the project in Hyderabad.
Beyond his foray into Telugu cinema, Riteish Deshmukh is simultaneously gearing up for his return to the small screen. The actor is set to reprise his role as the host for the highly anticipated new season of the reality show Lock Upp, which will also feature Farah Khan. The show is looking to replicate the massive success of its debut season, which Netflix reported garnered over 5 billion views across social media platforms, cementing its status as a major pop culture phenomenon.