Jr NTR’s upcoming film Dragon (working title) has wrapped up two schedules of shooting so far. Just when the third schedule was about to be commenced, the unit took a break. Partly because the actor needs time to undergo body transformation for one of the roles, and partly because director Prashanth Neel is tweaking the script to make it more gripping and intense. Jr NTR is set to resume shooting for the film next week, meanwhile other members from the unit are set to leave for Tunisia for scouting locations.

Week-long location scout

A team from Jr NTR and Prashanth Neel’s film unit will leave for Tunisia (North Africa) to scout for locations. The country is a popular location for film shooting, particularly known for being a primary filming location for both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. From ancient archaeological sites and bustling souks to blue coasts, Atlas Mountains and the northern reaches of the Sahara Desert, the country has everything. Neel wanted to explore interesting locations and bring out the best side of the country in his film. According to sources, “A technical team will leave for the North African country of Tunisia in a couple of days for a week-long location scout.” After SSMB29, Dragon would be the second Telugu film to visit an African country for film shooting in recent times.

Shooting in November

If all goes well, Jr NTR will commence shooting for the film’s overseas schedule in the last week of November. But before that the actor would resume shooting…working briefly for a lavish action episode at RFC in Hyderabad. The film’s large canvas, extensive VFX, and complex action sequences require significant post-production time. Tipped to be an epic action saga with emotionally charged incidents that take place over a periodic timeline, the film is slated to hit theatres on June 25, 2025.

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Rashmika Mandanna has emerged as one of the highest-paid actresses in South cinema. Given the fan following she commands and her success rate, her stardom is growing with time. Her upcoming film, The Girlfriend, directed by Rahul Ravindran, has been hitting the right notes. The trailer was released on Saturday and has garnered curiosity.

Rashmika believed in the story

At a grand event on Saturday evening, the makers of The Girlfriend unveiled the film’s trailer. Lead pair Rashmika Mandanna and Dheekshith Shetty along with cast and crew attended the event. While many shared their experiences on working for the film, producer Dheeraj Mogilineni’s speech hogged the limelight. He revealed an interesting aspect about Rashmika’s remuneration for the film. Dheeraj stated the Pushpa actress hasn’t taken any remuneration for the film. Instead, she asked the makers to bring out a quality product and that she would talk about it after the film’s release. “After Rashmika ji liked the story, I asked about her remuneration. But she said that she will take the fee only after the film’s release and not before. Her gesture gave us confidence and was the driving force. It also shows how much she believed in the story,” said Dheeraj.

Meaningful stories over BO numbers

When Rashmika Mandanna heard the story of The Girlfriend, it made her think. She plays a character Bhooma that’s rooted and realistic. “There are certain things in life which we can only share with our best friends, and this film captures that emotion. For me, it’s not about box office numbers or success but about being part of good films that tell meaningful stories. And The Girlfriend, I felt like an important film to do,” she shared, adding that the project came at the right time in her career. Meanwhile, the trailer of The Girlfriend has been released, and fans describe it as, ‘intense and emotional.’ It’s a heartfelt story that talks about relationships.

Also Read: Rashmika Mandanna to Play a Gond Woman in Her New Film Mysaa

The acting principal of a government senior secondary school here was suspended on Saturday for checking the mobile phone of a female student, officials said.