Ravi Teja and Vivek Athreya launch Thulabharam; shoot from Oct 17

Ravi Teja is wasting no time after Irumudi began winning over audiences. The Telugu star has officially joined forces with Saripodhaa Sanivaaram director Vivek Athreya for Thulabharam, a new crime comedy that held its pooja and first-clap ceremony in Hyderabad on Sunday.

For fans who have been tracking the project, the launch also completes a small journey of its own: the film was earlier known as RT78. Now it has a title, a team and a start date.

A traditional start, with star power on show

The ceremony brought the key faces together in fine style. Ravi Teja was photographed in a red shirt, black jacket and blue jeans, while Anaswara Rajan chose red and gold traditional wear for the first clap. It is the kind of ritual that marks a Telugu film’s official beginning, and this one came with plenty of colour.

Thulabharam is being shaped as a crime comedy, a genre that should give Ravi Teja room to play to his energetic strengths while allowing Athreya to bring his own affection for clever, tightly wound storytelling.

Who is in the frame

The casting gives Thulabharam more than one reason for audiences to pay attention.

• Ravi Teja leads the film, fresh from the positive response to Irumudi.
• Priyanka Arul Mohan and Anaswara Rajan are the female leads.
• Tharun Bhascker and JD Chakravarthy are in important supporting roles.
• Vivek Sagar composes the music, with Theni Eswar as cinematographer and Ravi Teja Girijala as editor.

Behind the camera, the project is also a first: Laxman and Srini Rao are making their production debut under the Bridge Productions banner.

Why the Ravi Teja-Athreya combination matters

The pairing is interesting because both come in with momentum. Ravi Teja is currently enjoying the warmth around Irumudi, the Shiva Nirvana-directed family drama in which he plays a father who undertakes a sacred Ayyappa Deeksha at the request of his young daughter. That film has drawn positive word of mouth and is streaming in multiple languages.

Athreya, meanwhile, arrives with his own fan goodwill from Saripodhaa Sanivaaram. A crime comedy built between these two sensibilities could be more than your usual star vehicle — it could lean into the genre play that Telugu audiences have been rewarding.

What happens next

The makers are expected to begin regular shooting on October 17, 2026, according to a 123Telugu report. That is a quick turnaround between ceremony and set, which suggests the production already has its plans in place.

For now, the first clap has done its job: Thulabharam is no longer a working title. It is a film on the move.

Source: The Times of India