Actor Sayyeshaa Saigal has been cast in the lead role opposite Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna in his next film, the film’s makers announced on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Welcoming beautiful & talented actress @sayyeshaa on board for #BB3. Looking forward to seeing you soon on sets,” Dwaraka Creation wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, actors Pragya Martin and Pragya Jaiswal were being considered for the role.
Sharing the news on social media, Saigal wrote: “So honoured to join the wonderful team of #BB3Looking forward to shooting soon!#BalayyaBoyapati3 #NandamuriBalakrishna #BoyapatiSrinu@MusicThaman#MiryalaRavinderReddy@dwarakacreation.”
This is the first time the two actors will be seen sharing screen space.
The untitled Telugu film, which is being referred to as Balayya Boyapati 3 or BB3, will be directed by Boyapati Srinu. The film will mark the third collaboration between Balakrishna and director Srinu, after Simha and Legend.
Touted to be an action entertainer, the film went on floors in early March in Hyderabad. However, shoot came to a halt within a week due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown.
According to a report by India Today, Balakrishna will be playing a double role in the film.
The film is produced by Miryala Ravinder Reddy under the banner of Dwaraka Creations and S Thaman will compose music. While Ram Prasad is the cinematographer, Kotagiri Venkateshwara Rao and Bikkina Thammiraju are in charge of editing.
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The film’s teaser was released on June 9, in which the 60-year-old actor was seen in an action sequence clad in a white shirt and dhoti.
Saigal is the grandniece of actors Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar and daughter of former Hindi film actor Sumeet Saigal. She was last seen in Tamil film Kaappaan (2019).
Balakrishna’s last project was Narthanasala, an adaptation of ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata where he played three roles- that of Arjuna, Bruhannala and Keechakudu. The film- which was Balakrishna’s directorial debut- was shelved in 2004 after the death of actor Soundarya, who played the role of Draupadi in the film. On October 24, on the occasion of Dusshera, 17 minutes of the film’s footage was released on streaming platform ShreyasET.