Rana Daggubati is now Marthanda Varma

Rana Daggubati is gearing up for his next royal outing, and this time, he will be stepping into the shoes of Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the most-celebrated ruler of the Travancore dynasty. In the film, which also marks his Malayalam debut, the Baahubali star will shed his anti-hero image and play a king known for his gallantry and magnanimity. Helmed by K Madhu, the film, titled Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma - the king of Travancore, will have an ensemble cast featuring A-list stars from all prominent industries.

K Madhu says he has been scouring through historical documents and ancient journals for the past four years. "Rana Daggubati was cast in the title role as his physical features match those of the king. It's not conceived as a regional film. Through the film, I want to recreate the legend of Marthanda Varma in front of a global audience. It will have a very different visual treatment," he says.

The film, a historic drama, seems like a detour for K Madhu, known for his super-hit thrillers, especially the CBI franchise. But, the filmmaker says Marthanda Varma's life has all elements to make it an action-oriented thriller. "Since we are dealing with a historical figure we cannot twist the facts. But the king's life is full of drama and intrigue. Think of the Battle of Colachel, the legendary war against the Dutch. He was basically a warrior, so I don't think the film will be a  huge deviation from my favourite genre."

Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma... will be made with a colossal budget and the director says they are keen on making it a world-class epic. "Since we are bringing on board a great cast along with international technicians, the budget will naturally go up. But, we hope the numbers at box office will also shoot up," he says. While the film has Peter Hein in charge of action choreography, Resul Pookutty is the sound designer and the music will be scored by Keeravani.

It was Rana Daggubati who made the announcement of the film through a tweet. Quiz Madhu about other actors, especially the female lead, and he says, "You will hear all the right names from various industries. In the coming days, the stars themselves will make the announcement through their social networking platforms."

Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma - the king of Travancore is expected to go on floors by August 2018.