Gopichand says he is not doing Rajinikanth’s 'Annaatthe'

A few websites had recently reported that Tollywood hero Gopichand would be playing the antagonist in the eagerly-awaited Annaatthe, directed by Siva, and this created a fair deal of buzz among fans. The ‘Macho Star’ has, now, reacted to the rumours and made it clear that he is not a part of the Rajinikanth starrer. He added that he considers the Vivegam director to be a friend and would love to work with in the future.

Annaatthe, previously referred to as Thalaivar 168, is a rural-drama that features ‘Superstar’ in a massy avatar and has an emotional storyline. The 2.0 hero had reportedly asked Siva to come up with the script shortly after the Viswasam emerged as a runaway hit at the box office. Annaatthe has a strong cast that includes Nayanthara, Khushboo, Keerthy Suresh and Nayanthara. ‘Thalaivi’ and Rajinikanth, who previously collaborated for Chandramukhi and Darbar, have never really been able to impress fans with their chemistry. It remains to be seen whether they are able to make an impact this time around. Khushboo and the Billa hero were last seen together in the 1992 actioner Pandian, which clicked with the target audience. Movie buffs are excited about seeing this solid pair on the big screen again.

Annaatthe was originally slated to hit screens this Dusherra but the plan has gone awry due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Coming back to Gopichand, he is going through a tough phase on the work front. None of the recent movies have lived up to expectations and this has taken a toll on his standing in the industry. The mass hero was last seen in Chanakya that proved to be a disappointment. The cast of the action-thriller included Zareen Khan, Mehreen and Upen Patel of I fame.

He currently has the Sampath Nandi-directed Seetimaar in his kitty. The sports-drama features Tamannaah as the leading lady.

Credit: Galatta