Ravi Teja's 'Bengal Tiger' all set to roar

Directed by Sampath Nandi, noted for Racha and Yemaindi E Vela, the new film has a stellar cast including Boman Irani in a negative role, Tamannaah and comedian Brahmanandam.

In a world defined by film dynasties, Ravi Teja's rise has been inspiring for thousands of aspiring actors. Starting with supporting roles, becoming an assistant director and then making a mark with some award-winning performances, Ravi Teja has now earned the tag, 'Mass Maharaj.'
However, his last film Kick, aimed at the masses, turned out to be a disappointment (of course on a relative scale, as it apparently grossed more than its production cost of Rs40 crore in just two weeks). Naturally, expectations are high for his new release, Bengal Tiger, now playing at theatres in the UAE.
Directed by Sampath Nandi, noted for Racha and Yemaindi E Vela, the new film has a stellar cast including Boman Irani in a negative role, Tamannaah and comedian Brahmanandam.
Nandi clarifies that the film has nothing to do with Bengal, asserting that the movie is set in the Telugu milieu but will relate to audiences across the country. The story of a man who goes from a small town to Hyderabad and takes on the chief minister might not have great novelty value but what is expected to make the film different is the manner in which Nandi infuses humour and action to great effect.
Nandi, indeed, knows the pulse of the audience. He has ghost-written a number of Telugu films in his formative years, slogged as scripting assistant for veterans and also worked in advertising.
For him, it is also an attempt to recover from the setback of watching nearly two years pass after he was set to direct the sequel of Gabbar Singh with Pawan Kalyan. Nandi says it was his dream to work with Pawan Kalyan but he has now accepted the fact and has moved on, saying that such things happen in the film industry.
While the true story of why Gabbar Singh 2 did not make it to screens may never be known, the attention is now focused squarely on Bengal Tiger. Also starring Rashi Khanna, Rao Ramesh and Sayaji Shinde, among others, the film's highlights include two elaborate fight sequences that Nandi had reportedly had in mind for Gabbar Singh 2.
An action film made for the masses, that has already been spotted by Bollywood with its Hindi-dubbing rights being sold for a significant sum, Bengal Tiger is being released internationally too, in the US.
Promising a Ravi Teja feast, Bengal Tiger's success is crucial for both the lead hero and the director - as they both need to prove a point at the box office. As for whether it will live up to the hype, this week will give the answer.

• South Stars