Have you heard? Looking beyond Hindi

Never mind what Bollywood folk say about south cinema, several actors are eager to team up with southern directors. Ranveer Singh, who is in talks with Jailer (2023) director Nelson Dileepkumar (Seeking southern directors, January 29), is now said to be discussing a possible collaboration with another of Rajinikanth’s filmmakers.

This time around, Ranveer is said to be in the reckoning for Kabali (2016) and Kaala (2018) director Pa Ranjith’s biopic on Birsa Munda. Over the last couple of years, the filmmaker has been working on a script centred on the life of the tribal leader and freedom fighter against the British Raj.

Ranjith plans to begin filming by this year-end. While Ranveer has liked the subject, he hasn’t committed to it yet. The actor, who has Shaktimaan trilogy with Basil Joseph, isn’t the only one south-bound. Sidharth Malhotra is reportedly in advanced stages of discussion with Malayalam Drishyam maker, Jeethu Joseph for a thriller.

But before that, he could very well be working with another non-Hindi film director for a BR Films production. All that is known about the yet-untitled thriller is that it apparently revolves around African diamonds.