Sanjana Anand bags Dinakar Thoogudeepa’s film opposite Viraat

In March this year, it was announced that filmmaker Dinakar Thoogudeepa (Challenging Star Darshan’s brother), would make a film with young actor Viraat, best known for the AP Arjun-directorial Kiss, opposite Sree Leela. A youthful entertainer, in the thriller genre, the as-yet-untitled film will have all elements expected in a commercial flick, the team had said earlier. The film, produced by Jayanna and Bhogendra for Jayanna Combines, officially went on floors last week, but it's only now that the leading lady has been announced.

Sanjana Anand, who broke into the Kannada film industry with the critically-acclaimed Chemistry of Kariyappa and was last seen in Sheethal Shetty’s Window Seat, has been signed up as Viraat’s romantic interest in the film. Incidentally, Sanjana had been approached to be paired opposite the actor for his ongoing project Addhuri Lover, but could not work out her schedule at the time to be a part of it.

Sanjana, who started her Telugu film innings with Nenu Meeku Baaga Kavalsinavaadini, will next be seen in Full Bottle, a dark comedy, opposite Satya Dev. The film has the actress playing an activist in an NGO.

Viraat, meanwhile, is currently working on Addhuri Lover, his second film with AP Arjun. The filmmaker has just finished filming Dhruva Sarja’s Martin and is juggling its post-production work, along with Addhuri Lover. Addhuri, incidentally, was Dhruva Sarja’s debut film, directed by Arjun. Although Viraat is looking at winding up Addhuri Lover shortly, for the foreseeable future, he will have to balance work on this and Dinakar’s film.

Meanwhile, Dinakar, whose last directorial was Life Jothe Ondu Selfie, had announced a film called Ondu Ooralli Obba Raja with Diganth and Rachita Ram. But that project has reportedly been shelved. Subsequently, he was to make a film for Jayanna Combines with Puneeth Rajkumar, but the Power Star’s tragic and untimely demise scuttled those plans too.