Suriya and Jhanvi Kapoor in Rakesh Mehra's epic saga Karna [details inside]

Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's long-awaited epic saga Karna is finally getting the much-required traction. According to the latest reports, the director has shortlisted Tamil star Suriya to play the title role while Jhanvi Kapoor is likely to play an important role; however, it is still not evident whether she will be playing Karan's wife Vrushali or Draupadi.

Earlier, there were reports of the director approaching Nayantara to play an important role. Karna, a central figure in the Mahabharata, captures hearts with his complex persona, prompting varied interpretations of his moral stance among readers.

The Rang De Basanti director is expanding Karna into a two-part film. Originally conceived as a two-and-a-half-hour epic, the complexity of the subject and characters led him to believe that a single film wouldn't do justice to Karna's story.

Inspired by the success of films like Baahubali, KGF, and Pushpa, which embraced the multi-part format, Mehra gained the confidence to experiment with a similar approach. He is also collaborating with renowned mythological fiction author Anand Neelakantan, known for works based on Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Bahubali.

According to the latest buzz, the team has finished the script to unfold Karna's narrative across two cinematic installments. The big-budget entertainer will be bankrolled by Excel Entertainment. The film will be shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi marking Suriya's Bollywood debut. Made with a whopping budget of 500 crores, the film is expected to go on floors soon. AR Rahman, who has been a regular in all Mehra directorials, is likely to compose the music. 

One of the favourite characters of Mahabharata, Karna is admired for his noble virtues, loyalty to Duryodhana, and exceptional skills, his tragic fate raises questions about justice and the consequences of moral choices. Readers often resonate with his struggle for recognition and inner conflicts, provoking discussions on the nuances of right and wrong, making him a timeless character. With Ramayana and Mahabharata being the flavour of the season it would be interesting to know who will play Duryodhana in this epic saga.

The film will also mark Jhanvi Kapoor's Tamil debut. The actress is all set to make her Hollywood debut opposite Jr NTR in Kortala Siva's Devara. The film was supposed to hit screens on April 5 but was postponed due to VFX works. Apart from that, she also has Mr. & Mrs. Mahi and Ulajh in the pipeline.

Suriya on the other hand has just completed his big-budget epic saga Kanguva directed by Siruthai Siva The film also stars Bobby Deol and Disha Patani in prominent roles. He has also signed Sudha Kongara's next film which has Dulquer Salmaan, Nazriya Nazim, and Vijay Varma. The story revolves around college politics with anti-Hindi agitation as its base. Then there is his long-awaited Vaadivaasal directed by Vetrimaaran.