Director Ajay Bhupathi has roped in Ravi Teja for his action-adventure film, Maha Samudram. A source in the know however informs us that Naga Chaitanya was initially meant to play the lead role.

"Chaitanya wasn't convinced about being a part of an action entertainer right after Jersey and Venky Mama. He wants to now project himself as a commercial hero and doesn't want to work in films that have larger-than-life characterisations. So, he turned down this offer. Ajay then approached Ravi Teja with the same script and the actor is happy to be on board," says the source.

The as-yet-untitled film is expected to go on floors in the second half of 2019 with the director currently on the lookout for a female lead. RX 100-fame Chaitan Bharadwaj is the music director and we hear that he has already recorded two songs for the film.

Meanwhile, Ravi Teja has already started to shoot for director Vi Anand’s sci-fi thriller, Disco Raja, in which plays a dual role.