​SS Rajamouli confirms Nani for 'Mahabharata', drops major update at 'HIT 3' event

The entire Telugu film industry is buzzing after SS Rajamouli made a major announcement at Nani's HIT 3 event in Hyderabad. In his typical style, the legendary director confirmed what fans have been speculating for years: Nani will be part of his dream Mahabharata project!

"Let me put it this way - Nani is the first actor officially on board," Rajamouli told the cheering crowd when host Suma Kanakala asked about casting rumours. The venue erupted in applause as Nani, sitting beside him, broke into a wide smile. This simple confirmation carries huge weight because Rajamouli has been planning his Mahabharata adaptation for nearly a decade, calling it the most challenging project of his career.

Nani later shared how special this moment was for him. "I remember working with Rajamouli garu on Eega when I was still finding my feet as an actor," he said emotionally. "To now be part of his vision for Mahabharata... it's beyond anything I imagined." The two have maintained a close bond since their 2012 collaboration and Rajamouli has often praised Nani's growth as a performer.

While Rajamouli didn't reveal which character Nani will play, industry insiders suggest he might portray either Arjuna or Karna, roles that would bring out both his acting range and physicality. The director has previously hinted his version will reimagine character relationships while staying true to the epic's core themes. "It won't be exactly what people expect," he told a magazine last year. "But that's what makes it exciting."

The announcement comes at a busy time for both artists. Nani is preparing for HIT 3's release this week, where he plays a tough cop in the latest instalment of the hit thriller series. Meanwhile, Rajamouli is deep into shooting his globetrotting adventure film with Mahesh Babu. But today, all attention was on their future collaboration, one that has the potential to redefine Indian cinema.

What makes this particularly interesting is Rajamouli's approach to casting. Unlike his previous films where he built stories around specific stars, for Mahabharata he's focusing on finding the right actors for each role regardless of their star power. "The characters come first," he's said repeatedly in interviews.

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As fans celebrate this news, questions naturally arise: When will shooting begin? Who else will join the cast? Will it really be a 10-part series as Rajamouli once suggested?

For now, the director remains tight-lipped, preferring to focus on his current project. But with Nani officially aboard, Mahabharata no longer feels like a distant dream, it's becoming reality, one exciting announcement at a time.