Daaku Maharaaj (2025)

Interesting facts

Daaku Maharaaj is a 2025 Indian Telugu-language action thriller film directed and co-written by Bobby Kolli and produced by Sithara Entertainments, Fortune Four Cinemas and Srikara Studios. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna alongside Bobby Deol, Pragya Jaiswal, Shraddha Srinath, Sachin Khedekar, Makarand Deshpande, Urvashi Rautela, Aadukalam Naren, Nithin Mehta, Ravi Kishan, VTV Ganesh, Rishi, and Chandini Chowdary. The film follows the journey of Sitaram, a dedicated civil engineer who transforms into the dacoit named "Daaku Maharaaj" to protect a village in distress from Prince Balwanth Singh Thakur.

Production

After the release of Chiranjeevi-starrer Waltair Veerayya (2023), its director Bobby Kolli was reported to be collaborating with Rajinikanth on a potential film, which would mark his Tamil cinema debut and be produced by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations. However, Rajinikanth was not convinced by Bobby's script and chose not to sign the film.

Tentatively titled NBK109 because it was Balakrishna's 109th film as the lead actor, the film was produced by Suryadevara Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments, Srikara Studios and Fortune Four Cinemas, and was announced on Balakrishna's birthday (10 June 2023). A traditional pooja ceremony was held on the same day for the film's launch. The film's title Daaku Maharaaj was announced with a teaser trailer on 15 November 2024.

In November 2023, Bobby Deol was reported to play the film's antagonist, while his involvement was confirmed on 27 January 2024, coinciding with Deol's birthday. Although it was the second Telugu film he had signed after Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1, this film was the first to be released, marking his Telugu cinema debut. Pragya Jaiswal was cast as the female lead.

Vishwak Sen was initially offered an important role in the film but turned it down because he wanted a substantial role. Similarly, Dulquer Salmaan also denied reports that he was a part of the cast. Prakash Raj was also rumoured to be in this film. Though Gautham Vasudev Menon was reported to play an important role, he did not sign the film. Besides Jaiswal, Shraddha Srinath and Urvashi Rautela were cast as the other female leads.

Principal photography began on 7 November 2023 with the film's first schedule at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. In December, a brief schedule was planned to be held in Ooty for a few weeks, but due to the uncertain weather conditions, the team wrapped the shoot much earlier than planned. Rautela participated in filming in Hyderabad in January 2024.

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.