Actor Vemal will next play the lead in debut director Santhosh Babu Muthusamy's supernatural horror film Belladonna, its makers announced on Friday.

Belladonna marks the 35th film in Vemal's career, but it is the first time he is starring in a supernatural film. The film will be released in 16 languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi.

Talking about the film, director Santhosh said, "Belladonna will offer a fresh and unique cinematic theatrical experience to the audience. It is a grand project, and everything has come together wonderfully. The casting is perfect for the story, and every department, from the cameraman to the music director and editor, has worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life."

Earlier this year, Vemal starred in debutant Micheal K Raja's Pogumidam Vegu Thooramillai, joined by Karunas in the lead, and Bose Venkat's social drama SIR, with Chaya Devi Kannan playing the female lead. Apart from Belladonna, the actor also has Desingu Raja 2 in the pipeline.

Produced by Sri Tejas of the Euphoria Flicks banner, Belladonna's technical crew includes cinematographer A Vinod Bharathi, music director AC John Peter, editor Deepak LP, art director V Suresh, and stunt director Danger Mani.

Further details about the film's plot, rest of the cast, and release date are yet to be revealed by the makers.