Chiranjeevi’s next film with director Bobby Kolli, referred to until now as Mega158, has been officially titled Kaaka. The title was confirmed through a glimpse released on Saturday, the actor’s 71st birthday, with simultaneous theatrical screenings in select centres across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Directed by Bobby Kolli, who previously worked with Chiranjeevi on the 2023 blockbuster Waltair Veerayya, Kaaka is being produced by Venkat K Narayana under KVN Productions, marking the banner’s first Tollywood production.

The glimpse introduces Chiranjeevi in what the makers have called “a new avatar, a new attitude and a whole new side of Megastar.” The glimpse introduces Chiranjeevi as Supervisor Satyam, an employee at Ammaji Aqua Industries in Ravulapalem. The opening minutes play like a character study set in the seafood and aquaculture business, with shots of prawns, fish and the daily grind of a coastal workplace establishing Satyam as a working-class man living a seemingly unremarkable life. The second half of the glimpse tears it apart, switching sharply into gunfire, violence and a version of Satyam that has nothing to do with prawns and everything to do with the “bloody benchmark” the makers had been teasing since the pre-release poster. The glimpse builds on that image, presenting an action-heavy, intense look for the 71-year-old star that shows a shift from his more recent outings.

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Chiranjeevi in a still from the glimpse, Kaaka

According to reports, the film centres on the emotional bond between a father and his daughter. Anaswara Rajan plays Chiranjeevi’s daughter, while Nivetha Pethuraj features in a key role. Priyamani is also rumoured to be part of the film, though her involvement has not been officially confirmed by the makers. Chiranjeevi is said to be playing an age-appropriate character, a change from the kind of age-defying heroism that defined films like Bholaa Shankar and Vishwambhara.

On the technical front, S Thaman is composing the music and background score. The cinematography is by Vijay Karthik Kannan, known for his work on Jailer and Daaku Maharaj. Antony L Ruben is handling the editing, while Kolla Avinash is the art director. The film is produced by Venkat K Narayana under KVN Productions, marking the banner’s debut in Tollywood.

Shooting is currently underway in Hyderabad, with the film being planned for a Sankranti 2027 release window, to be release on January 13.