The second single from the upcoming pan-Indian actioner Kingdom was released on Wednesday. Titled ‘Anna Antene’, the track highlights the emotional connection between siblings, focusing on the bond shared by two brothers. Vijay Deverakonda plays the younger brother, Suri, while Satyadev essays the role of the elder brother, Siva.
Penned by lyricist Krishna Kanth, the song from Kingdom reflects a promise made by the elder brother to protect and stand by the younger one under any circumstances. The composition and vocals are by Anirudh Ravichander, who has increasingly lent his voice to many of his own tracks in recent projects.
Following the promo’s release, some sections of the audience expressed criticism on social media, questioning the repetition of Anirudh’s vocals across his projects. In response, producer Naga Vamsi addressed the feedback on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Even after trying it with multiple singers, we felt that only the Rockstar Anirudh would suit this one the best & requested him to sing ‘Anna Antene’ (after so many NOs from him). And now after looking at the final lyrical, if he hadn’t said yes… it wouldn’t have been this heartwarming & special.”
Kingdom is written and directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, known for Jersey. Set in a fictional Sri Lanka under military control, the story follows Suri, a spy who becomes a saviour of the local people amidst conflict and oppression. The film’s teaser, previously released, features voiceovers by Jr NTR (Telugu), Ranbir Kapoor (Hindi), and Suriya (Tamil).
Kingdom stars Bhagyashri Borse as the female lead and is produced by Naga Vamsi and Sai Soujanya under Sithara Entertainments and Fortune Four Cinemas. It is presented by Srikara Studios. Cinematography is by Jomon T John and Girish Gangadharan, with editing by Navin Nooli. The film is slated for pan-Indian theatrical release on July 31.
