Now Reading: Will Smith in talks to play villain in Allu Arjun’s Raaka
-
01
Will Smith in talks to play villain in Allu Arjun’s Raaka
Hollywood star Will Smith is reportedly in talks to play the primary antagonist in Atlee's upcoming sci-fi action film Raaka, starring Allu Arjun. According to a report by Mid-Day, cited by news.abplive.com, discussions with Smith over dates are underway and his costumes have been finalised. m9.news reported that Shah Rukh Khan has agreed to a cameo in the film, with filming expected after he completes his work on King. However, makers have not officially confirmed either casting.
Raaka also features Deepika Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor and Mrunal Thakur in key roles. The film is backed by Sun Pictures. Allu Arjun's first look in April, showing prosthetic makeup and a claw, was released with the title announcement. Speculation suggests he may play four characters across two parallel universes. The film is targeting a release by the end of 2027.
Indian Opinion Analysis
m9.news leads with fan and trade excitement, and frames unconfirmed reports as near-certain, a sensationalist tilt. news.abplive.com cites its sources (Mid-Day reports), flags the lack of official confirmation, and provides more context on production details, a neutral-report approach. Both agree on the core facts but differ in certainty: m9.news treats the Will Smith casting and SRK cameo as done deals, news.abplive.com calls them discussions yet to be confirmed. The measured read is that Raaka is generating buzz with high-profile casting news, but nothing is official until the makers announce it. Watch for the next shooting schedule and official confirmations from Sun Pictures.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 neutral, 1 sensationalist
Sources (2): m9.news (sensationalist), news.abplive.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
