Bunny Comes to the Rescue of Gunasekhar

The anticipation surrounding who would be playing the role of Gona Ganna Reddy – a fierce warrior who served as minister during the reign of Rudrama Devi – has finally come to an end. Director Gunasekhar confirmed at a recent press meet that the role would be essayed by Allu Arjun, thus multiplying the star quotient to the already star studded cast of the film.

The names of the likes of Mahesh Babu and NTR had been doing the rounds for the role. However, actor Allu Arjun has come to the rescue of the director who had been in a dilemma as to who would be a suitable choice.

Period film ‘Rudrama Devi’ which has Anushka playing the eponymous character of  the erstwhile ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty, Rudrama Devi, is one of the most eagerly awaited films in the industry. With an ensemble cast of Rana, Nithya Menen, Prakash Raj, Krishnam Raju, Suman, Jaya Prakash Reddy and several others, the film has been in the making for more than a year.

Allu Arjun who is known to be experimental in his choice of roles, having worked in films like ‘Arya 2’, ‘Varudu’, ‘Vedam’and ‘Badrinath’, will be playing a periodical character for the first time in his career spanning nearly a decade.

Speaking about Arjun’s casting, director Gunasekhar said, “For making a period film like ‘Rudrama Devi’, more than high technical values it is good artistes that are of importance.” He added, “The character of Gona Ganna Reddy is that of a youthful, dynamic person born among the people and for the people. I had visualised him in a certain way and Allu Arjun matches that vision.”

Gunasekhar says that just like NTR immortaslised ‘Palanati Brahmanaidu’, ANR immortalised ‘Tenali Ramakrishna’, Krishna immortalised ‘Alluri Seetaramaraju’, Nagarjuna immortalised ‘Annamayya’, “the character of Gona Ganna Reddy will become synonymous with Allu Arjun. This film is an ambitious project for the director, who is known to create a visual extravaganza in most of his films.