Veteran actor and filmmaker R Parthiban has officially joined the cast of Pawan Kalyan’s Ustaad Bhagat Singh, the team confirmed on Wednesday. Sharing a photo from the film’s set, the makers wished Parthiban and, in doing so, confirmed earlier speculations that the versatile performer is indeed part of the cop drama.

In the image, Parthiban is seen sporting an intense look, complete with a distinctive headset resting around his neck, a detail that has already sparked curiosity among fans. From the brief glimpse, it appears that his role could be layered with intrigue and possibly a touch of menace. Industry reports suggest that Parthiban will be essaying a powerful antagonist, adding depth and unpredictability to the film’s narrative.

Directed by Harish Shankar, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is being mounted on a massive scale under the Mythri Movie Makers banner. While the project was initially reported to be an adaptation of Vijay’s Tamil blockbuster Theri, the filmmaker has since reworked it into a completely original script. The film features Pawan Kalyan as a tough, no-nonsense police officer, a role that has naturally set high expectations, given his previous crowd-pleasing cop turns in Gabbar Singh and Sardaar Gabbar Singh.

Ustaad Bhagat Singh also stars Sreeleela and Raashii Khanna as the female leads, with music by Devi Sri Prasad, cinematography by Ayananka Bose, and editing by Ujjwal Kulkarni. The production design is handled by Anand Sai.

Backed by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is one of the most anticipated Telugu releases currently in production. Although an official release date is yet to be announced, reports suggest that filming is progressing steadily with Pawan Kalyan’s portions already wrapped.