On Friday, SS Rajamouli and Prithviraj Sukumaran treated fans to an exciting update: the first glimpse of the look in which the Malayalam superstar will be appearing in the much-anticipated Mahesh Babu-starrer, tentatively titled 'Globe Trotter'.
Sharing the poster of his character, named Kumbha, Prithviraj wrote, “The most complex mind I’ve ever played.”
Prithviraj has played villains before, but not quite like Kumbha. The manner in which the role will be played is certainly a first for the actor, who is presented as a scheming figure in a wheelchair equipped with futuristic technology. Netizens were quick to describe it as a cross between Stephen Hawking and the Spider-Man villain Doctor Octopus.
On casting Prithviraj, Rajamouli wrote: "After canning the first shot with Prithvi, I walked up to him and said you are one of the finest actors I’ve ever known. Bringing life to this sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist KUMBHA was creatively very satisfying."
Rajamouli had earlier promised to unveil updates from the project starting in November. Interestingly, the Baahubali and RRR director opted to begin with Prithviraj's character reveal. He is expected to follow it up with Priyanka Chopra's look and then Mahesh Babu's — if the intention is indeed to create a massive buildup before unveiling the look of the leading man himself.
In August, Rajamouli had posted a note in which he shared that he is not big on the idea of posting pictures and doing press conferences since they won't “do justice” to the project he is creating.
"It has been a while since we began shooting, and we appreciate your eagerness to know about the film. However, the story and score of this film are so vast that I feel mere pictures of press conferences cannot do it justice," Rajamouli said then, while adding that a "never-before-seen" reveal will be shared online in November to "showcase the essence, depth, and immersive world" he's crafting.
The plot details of the big-budget undertaking are currently being kept under wraps. However, there are hints of Mahesh Babu playing an adventurer on a special quest, which the teaser poster released in August seems to confirm. Mahesh’s outfit includes a chain with a locket with Lord Shiva iconography, suggesting an association with mythological elements. The action-packed ride is in the middle of production, in various locations across the globe.
Meanwhile, the remastered, combined version of the two Baahubali movies, titled Baahubali: The Epic, is currently running in cinemas.