‘Dragon’ features Jr NTR in the lead role, directed by Prashanth Neel, with Kannada actress Rukmini Vasanth cast opposite him. The film is reportedly being made on a massive scale. Speculation that Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor would be joining the star cast of NTR and Prashanth Neel’s highly anticipated project has now been put to rest.

Jr NTR’s film not roping in Alia Bhatt or Shahid Kapoor

As reported in Deccan Chronicle, there is no truth in these rumours. The makers haven’t signed either of them. Shooting is expected to commence soon, but no date has been fixed yet. NTR’s film is expected to be completed by February next year, after which Prashanth Neel will move on to ‘Salaar 2’. ‘Dragon’ is being made on a budget of around Rs 400 crore and is one of the most eagerly awaited films.

Jr NTR’s shoulder surgery affects shoot schedule

Meanwhile, NTR’s recent shoulder surgery has prompted the makers to rework the film’s shoot schedule. He is expected to take about two to three months to fully recover and get back to his normal routine, though work on the film is unlikely to stop entirely in the interim.

Prashanth Neel to focus on ‘Salaar 2’ during Jr NTR’s break

While NTR is temporarily off the sets, Prashanth Neel is expected to use the time to move forward on pre-production and other preliminary work for ‘Salaar 2: Shouryaanga Parvam’, his next film with Prabhas. Reports suggest, however, that ‘Dragon’ still holds precedence for Neel, with the film slated for completion before anything else.