Naga Chaitanya shares details about Thandel’s plot, Sai Pallavi’s character: ‘The film is based on a 2018 incident…’

Naga Chaitanya recently shared details about his much-anticipated ambitious project Thandel, also starring Sai Pallavi, revealing that it draws inspiration from a real incident that occurred in 2018.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | March 26, 2024 02:27 PM IST

3 min read

Naga Chaitanya recently shared details about his much-anticipated ambitious project Thandel, also starring Sai Pallavi, revealing that it draws inspiration from a real incident that occurred in 2018

Thandel marks Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's second movie together after the 2021 romantic-drama Love Story. (Images: Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi/Facebook)

After experiencing three consecutive setbacks due to the box office disappointments of his films Thank You (2022), Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) and Custody (2023), Telugu star Naga Chaitanya is now banking on his upcoming patriotic actioner Thandel for a turnaround. Helmed by Chandoo Mondeti, known for his work on Premam and the Karthikeya franchise, Thandel also features Sai Pallavi in a key role.

Meanwhile, Chaitanya recently shared details about his much-anticipated ambitious project, revealing that it draws inspiration from a real incident that occurred in 2018.

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“Thandel is a film I have been working on for quite some time; it’s a very special film for me. Firstly, I’ve never attempted this kind of character or texture before. It’s based on some true incidents that happened in 2018 involving these fishermen from Srikakulam. Usually, they go to Gujarat, take the boats from there and then go fishing. During one of their trips, they drifted off into Pakistan’s borders and got caught. Their journey being in jail for a year and a half and how they come out is what the film is about. It’s an inspiring story,” he said during a chat with ZigWheels.

“I met these fishermen, spent time with them and learnt a lot about what they went through. There is a beautiful love story also sort of intertwined with all this, which too genuinely happened. The real-life couple (which will be played on-screen by Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi) are now married. His wife, who was at that time his girlfriend, fought for these fishermen and motivated the government to bring them back to India. I’m glad I got the opportunity to tell this story,” Chaitanya added, praising the film’s team.

Watch Thandel teaser here:

The film’s teaser, unveiled in January, revealed that Thandel revolves around a fisherman who, along with 21 others, is detained in Pakistan. The promo video offered glimpses of Chaitanya’s never-before-seen avatar. The tagline for the film reads, “The one who anchors his crew, his love, and his people; and won’t care to sacrifice his life.”

Bankrolled by Bunny Vasu and presented by Allu Aravind, Thandel’s music is composed by National Award-winning composer Devi Sri Prasad, with cinematography by Shamdat and editing by Navin Nooli.

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