NTR’s Wife, Mother Were Angry with Me: Prashanth Neel

Prashanth Neel’s Dragon first glimpse was released yesterday as a NTR’s birthday treat, and ever since, the four-minute video has completely taken over discussions on social media.

While many viewers appreciated the glimpse, the world-building, and the characters showcased in it, others felt the visual style looked similar to Prashanth Neel’s earlier films like KGF and Salaar. According to that backlash, only the backdrop appears different this time, shifting towards the world of opium trade and the mafia operating around it.

NTR’s transformation has also become a major talking point. His lean appearance as a ruthless and menacing assassin has received appreciation from many fans. However, some viewers felt he looked too frail for the role and argued that the character demanded a bulkier physical presence. The makers, however, had a different vision in mind. They wanted a leaner, sharper look inspired more by the image of Bruce Lee than a traditionally muscular action hero.

Now, Prashanth Neel himself has addressed the discussion in an interview with Bharadwaj Rangan on YouTube.

During the conversation, Baradwaj Rangan pointed out that NTR looked noticeably leaner compared to films like RRR and asked how the specific look for the character was designed.

Prashanth Neel revealed that the transformation journey began nearly one and a half years ago. The team was already preparing to begin filming and had conducted look tests when Neel approached NTR with a suggestion. He told the actor that becoming slightly thinner would help suit the assassin character better.

What followed surprised even Neel himself.

Referring to a Chinese saying, “beware of what you wish for,” Neel revealed that NTR took the suggestion to another level entirely. According to him, NTR stopped shooting for the next four months and focused completely on transforming himself for the role.

At one point, NTR reportedly lost nearly 15 kilos.

Prashanth Neel admitted that he repeatedly asked him to slow down because the actor had started looking frail and visibly pale. However, NTR remained fully committed to achieving exactly what the filmmaker had envisioned.

According to Neel, NTR told him that if the story demanded it, he wanted the director to get precisely the character he had imagined. Neel revealed that NTR’s wife, mother, friends, and even members of his own team were upset with me as they felt I forced him to do it so aggressively.

He also revealed that social media speculation had started during that phase, with rumors spreading about NTR’s health and well-being because of his drastic weight loss.

Neel clarified that he had only suggested losing a little weight but said NTR “went berserk with it” once he got convinced about the character design.

Describing NTR’s dedication, Neel called him one of the most stubborn and committed individuals he has worked with. According to him, once NTR believes in something, changing his mind becomes extremely difficult.

Prashanth Neel said NTR wanted to fully embody the vision of an assassin trained in Afghanistan. He reportedly wanted his cheeks to look sharper, his body leaner, and his overall appearance to reflect the hard, battle-trained nature of the character.

The transformation process was physically demanding. Prashanth Neel admitted that watching someone lose around 15 to 16 kilos within a few months was difficult for the team. He revealed that the first two months worried everyone around NTR because of how rapidly the weight loss happened.

Yet NTR did not stop.

Prashanth Neel even shared how quickly NTR reacted after hearing the suggestion. According to him, they discussed the look around 7 PM. NTR called his trainer by 7:30 PM, and the transformation routine began the very next morning.

The process ultimately forced the team to postpone filming by a few months. However, Prashanth Neel said they were fully satisfied with the final result.

Whether audiences embrace this lean assassin version when the film releases remain to be seen, but the commitment behind the transformation is now impossible to ignore.