A surprise casting development is reportedly taking shape around Vijay Deverakonda’s upcoming film Rowdy Janardhana. According to ongoing industry speculation, veteran actor Rajasekhar has now emerged as the frontrunner for the film’s main villain role.
Reports suggest the character was originally conceived with Vijay Sethupathi in mind. Sources claim director Ravi Kiran Kola and the writing team designed several crucial face-off sequences specifically imagining Sethupathi opposite Vijay Deverakonda. The role was reportedly positioned as an equally powerful character rather than a conventional villain, with the actor allegedly being offered a remuneration close to that of the hero himself.
Inside sources further claim that the makers were prepared to pay Vijay Sethupathi around Rs. 20 crores for the role. However, despite the lucrative offer, he is said to have declined the project. Trade circles believe one of the reasons could be Vijay Sethupathi’s recent reluctance to accept villain roles after playing several notable villain roles across different industries over the years. Maybe he feels the roles are getting monotonous.
Following his reported rejection, the team started exploring alternatives and eventually turned its attention toward a senior Telugu actor. That search has now allegedly led them to Rajasekhar.
Known as the “Angry Young Man” of Telugu cinema during his prime, Rajasekhar possesses the screen presence and intensity required for a strong confrontation with Vijay Deverakonda. Recently, Rajasekhar’s performance in Sharwanand’s Biker earned him quite a lot of goodwill. He brought immense weight and credibility to the character.
If the villain’s character is written effectively, Rajasekhar could potentially deliver the same impact the makers initially expected from Vijay Sethupathi while also significantly reducing the film’s casting expenditure from crores to just a few lakhs.
At the same time, it is important to note that none of these developments have been officially confirmed by the production house. Neither the makers nor the actors involved have issued any statements.
For now, all reports remain purely based on industry speculation and unofficial buzz. An official announcement from the Rowdy Janardhana team is expected to provide clarity on whether Rajasekhar has indeed been finalized for the role.
