Fresh off the roaring success of Pushpa 2, Allu Arjun has announced a new film that’s already creating waves. This time, he’s partnering with hitmaker Atlee for a science-fiction project that promises something entirely out of the ordinary. The collaboration was confirmed on Allu Arjun’s birthday, and it’s no regular action flick. In fact, it's shaping up to be a visual spectacle unlike anything seen before in Indian cinema.
Backed by Sun Pictures, the film, currently untitled but dubbed AA22 is being pitched as a large-scale global project. What makes it stand out isn’t just the star power or budget, but the level of technical ambition. Arjun and Atlee recently travelled to Los Angeles, visiting some of Hollywood’s top visual effects studios, including Lola VFX, Ironhead Studio and Spectral Motion, names behind films like Avengers, Spider-Man and Black Panther. These visits weren’t for show, and the team is pulling out all the stops to craft a visually rich sci-fi universe featuring creatures, prosthetics and technology-driven storytelling.
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The announcement video shared by the production house shows glimpses of this world-building in progress, with Arjun undergoing a 3D body scan, detailed script discussions and concept props from major Hollywood projects. One technician even remarked that the script “blew his mind,” hinting at a plot packed with unexpected turns and high-concept imagination.
Atlee, known for high-energy entertainers like Jawan and Mersal, says this is the story he’s been waiting to tell for years. It blends large-scale action with fantasy and deep emotion, aimed squarely at both Indian and international audiences. Sai Abhyankar will be composing the music, marking his debut in Telugu cinema.
Reportedly mounted on a budget of £76 million (₹800 crore), the film is now one of the most expensive Indian productions to date. While the rest of the cast is still under wraps, production is expected to kick off in August 2025.
With a genre-defying concept and global production standards, this project is a calculated leap into the kind of storytelling that could change how Indian cinema is viewed across the world.
Alice Johnson attends a special screening of Lee Cronin's "The Mummy"Getty Images
