After captivating audiences with RangiTaranga and exploring a variety of roles, Nirup Bhandari is set to reinvent himself with Atikaya, a gritty action drama directed by Nagaraj Peenya. Promising high-voltage action and a raw, grounded narrative, the film will see the actor shed his familiar chocolate-boy image for a rugged, massy avatar unlike anything he has attempted before.
Joining him is Swathishta Krishnan, who continues to build a strong presence in Kannada cinema. Hailing from Dharwad, the multilingual actor has worked across Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films, earning recognition for her performances in Savarakathi, Kee, Vikram, Gunde Katha Vintara, Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe and Rakkasapuradhol. Atikaya marks her first collaboration with Nirup, and the makers say her character goes far beyond the role of a conventional heroine.
One of the biggest highlights of Atikaya is Nirup's striking transformation. The actor, who has often been seen in romantic and urbane roles, has undergone a complete physical makeover for the film. Sporting a blood-soaked, rugged look, he has trained extensively to bring authenticity to the character. His appearance, body language and dialogue delivery are expected to present an entirely new side of the actor.
Director Nagaraj Peenya, known for Pade Pade and Namak Haram, returns to filmmaking after a brief gap with what promises to be an intense action entertainer. To maintain realism, a major portion of the film has been shot in busy parts of Bengaluru using real locations rather than constructed sets. The film is currently in the final leg of production.
Presented by J Mahesh Kumar, Atikaya is jointly produced by AN Movie Makers and Nihal Movies. The ensemble cast includes Harish Rai, Dinesh Mangaluru, B Suresh, Cockroach Sudhi, Vajradeer Jain, Vardhan Theerthahalli, Mahanthesh and Jolly Jack. The film features cinematography by Uday Leela, editing by Srinivas P Babu, and music by Sachin Basrur.
