Sanjay Dutt, the Bollywood star who has been in the news for his health issues and legal troubles, has surprised his fans by joining the cast of ‘Double iSmart’, a Telugu film directed by Puri Jagannadh and starring Ram Pothineni. The film is a sequel to the 2019 blockbuster ‘iSmart Shankar’, which featured Ram as a rowdy with a chip implanted in his brain.
Sanjay Dutt’s first look as Big Bull
The makers of ‘Double iSmart’ unveiled the first look of Sanjay Dutt on his 64th birthday, which was on July 29. The poster shows Sanjay Dutt in a stylish and rugged avatar, with a funky hairdo, multiple earrings, rings, an expensive watch, and tattoos on his face and finger. He is seen smoking a cigar, while guns are pointed at him from all directions. The poster introduces his character as Big Bull, hinting at his powerful and menacing role in the film.
Sanjay Dutt expressed his excitement about working with Puri Jagannadh and Ram Pothineni on Twitter. He wrote:
It takes me immense pride to be working with the director of the masses #PuriJagannadh ji and the young energetic Ustaad @ramsayz 🤗
Glad to be Playing the #BIGBULL in this sci-fi mass entertainer #DoubleISMART
Excited to be teaming up with this super-talented team and Looking… pic.twitter.com/SrIAJv6yy1
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) July 29, 2023
Ram Pothineni’s makeover for ‘Double iSmart’
Ram Pothineni, who impressed the audience with his performance and dialogue delivery in ‘iSmart Shankar’, is reprising his role as Ustaad in ‘Double iSmart’. The actor has undergone a stylish makeover for the sequel, which is said to be a sci-fi mass entertainer. Ram is sporting a new hairstyle, beard, and physique for the film. He is also expected to showcase some high-octane action sequences and dance moves in the film.
The shooting of ‘Double iSmart’ began recently in Mumbai, where the team is canning some crucial scenes involving Ram and Sanjay Dutt. The film is being produced by Puri Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur under the banner of Puri Connects. Vish Reddy is the CEO of the production house. The film has Hollywood cinematographer Gianni Giannelli as the director of photography. The heroine and the music director of the film are yet to be announced by the makers.
Sanjay Dutt’s second Telugu film after 25 years
Sanjay Dutt, who made his debut in Telugu cinema with ‘Chandralekha’ in 1998, is making his comeback to the industry after 25 years with ‘Double iSmart’. ‘Chandralekha’ was a romantic comedy directed by Krishna Vamsi and starring Nagarjuna and Ramya Krishna in the lead roles. Sanjay Dutt played a cameo role as himself in the film, where he meets Nagarjuna’s character at an airport and gives him some advice.
Sanjay Dutt is also part of another South Indian film, ‘Leo’, which stars Vijay in the lead role. The film is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and is slated to release on October 19, 2023. Sanjay Dutt plays the main antagonist in the film, which is a crime thriller set in Chennai. Leo’s team also planning to release a poster for Sanjay Dutt on his birthday today at 4 PM. His character name in the movie is Anthony Das which was revealed by the Leo team.
‘Double iSmart’ to release on Maha Shivaratri 2024
‘Double iSmart’ is scheduled to release on March 8, 2024, coinciding with Maha Shivaratri festival. The film will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi languages. The makers are confident that the film will repeat the success of ‘iSmart Shankar’, which was a huge hit at the box office. The film earned over Rs 100 crore worldwide and was praised for its mass appeal, catchy songs, and energetic performances.
‘Double iSmart’ is one of the most awaited films of 2024, as it marks the collaboration of three big names from different industries – Sanjay Dutt from Bollywood, Ram Pothineni from Tollywood, and Puri Jagannadh from Sandalwood. The film promises to be a roller-coaster ride of entertainment, action, romance, comedy, and drama.
