Chandoo Mondeti is quietly putting together a combination that looks very different from his earlier films. The Karthikeya 2 director is bringing Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati together for a Hindi-Telugu bilingual, tentatively titled Mahakaal.
What makes the project intriguing is the world Chandoo is attempting to create. The story is set against the backdrop of Ujjain and draws from the city’s deep historical and spiritual identity, but it is not being made as a conventional mythological film. The narrative reportedly mixes a contemporary setting with historical and supernatural elements.
That gives Chandoo Mondeti a considerably different canvas. After establishing himself through rooted Telugu stories, he is now attempting a film that needs to work across two industries and two audience bases, with Akshay carrying the Hindi side and Rana bringing his pan-Indian presence into the mix.
The pairing itself adds another layer. Akshay and Rana have already shared screen space in Baby, but seeing them together in a Chandoo Mondeti film set around Ujjain opens up a completely different dynamic.
The script has reportedly been in development for more than six months, with Chandoo currently working towards locking it. Karthik Ghattamaneni is also associated with the project as cinematographer, while the Hindi version is being backed by Karan Johar.
The film is still some distance away from the floors, with shooting expected to begin in early 2027. But if Chandoo manages to balance the mythology, supernatural elements and contemporary setting without turning it into a routine genre exercise, Mahakaal could become one of the more unusual Hindi-Telugu collaborations taking shape right now.
