Even as actor Upendra juggles projects like Bhargava, the much-anticipated Coolie, and a Telugu film alongside Ram Pothineni, the Real Star shows no signs of slowing down. The actor-director, known for his genre-defying storytelling, is all set to push the envelope once again. This time, he teams up with producer Tarun Shivappa for an interesting venture titled Next Level.

Speaking exclusively to us, Tarun Shivappa shared, “This will be the first pan-India film under our banner, Tarun Studios. We wanted to make something big, and who better than Upendra to take it to the next level?”

The film will be directed by Aravind Kaushik, the filmmaker behind Tuglaq, Huliraaya, and Shradula. What makes this collaboration exciting is the return to a familiar yet evolved space. “Aravind has penned a story that truly echoes the kind of films Upendra became a cult icon for — think A, Upendra,” said Tarun. “It’s intense, philosophical, and edgy, but also totally relatable for today’s generation. We’re looking at a complete Upendra-style entertainer, but with fresh visual language.”

The film will feature two heroines and, in true pan-India style, a diverse ensemble cast from across multiple industries. Tarun added, “The casting will be a mix of talent from different languages, and something big and very unique is coming together.”