Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has now turned lead actor, and the film is titled Showman, with the tagline 'Mad Monster.' The project marks the directorial debut of Nuthan, while Rama Satyanarayana is bankrolling the film.
“I approached several big stars like Chiranjeevi, Balakrishna, Nagarjuna and Venkatesh, but I couldn’t get their dates. So, I decided to cast my ‘god’, Ram Gopal Varma, as the lead actor,” said Ramasatyanarayana.
He revealed that senior actor Suman will be playing the antagonist in the film, though he refrained from sharing further details. “The shoot is currently underway in Mumbai. We are planning to release a teaser soon, and I will reveal more information at that time,” he added.
Interestingly, Rama Satyanarayana has previously produced films directed by RGV. “I produced around five films with RGV as director, and two of them — Ice Cream and Ice Cream 2 — were quite popular,” he said. He also stated that RGV is a personality worth a ₹50-crore remuneration. “But he did not ask for remuneration for this film. He wants to take it after the film is completed.”
“If I make a film with a big star, I’m not sure whether it will release smoothly or not. But with RGV, he is a true showman, and I know the film will definitely hit the theatres because there is always interest around him,” the producer remarked.
On casting Suman as the villain, he said, “Suman delivered a powerful performance as the antagonist in Rajinikanth’s Sivaji, and that’s why I chose him for this film as well.”
The film is being produced under his banner Bhimavaram Talkies, in association with a leading corporate production house. Set against the intense backdrop of the gangster underworld — a genre close to RGV’s heart — the project has already begun shooting quietly.
The producer is planning to release the film during the upcoming Sankranthi festival.
