Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Prashanth Neel and produced by Vijay Kiragandur. The film stars Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead roles, along with an ensemble supporting cast that includes Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha, Tinnu Anand, Easwari Rao, Sriya Reddy and Ramachandra Raju.
The film was announced in October 2020, untitled, while the title of the film was announced in December that year. Principal photography commenced in January 2021 in Telangana later followed with a schedule in Hyderabad again followed by another schedule near the latter location and wrapped by early-December 2023. The film has music composed by Ravi Basrur, cinematography handled by Bhuvan Gowda and editing by Ujwal Kulkarni.
Premise
In the city of Khansaar, Raja Mannar plans to make his son Vardharaja Mannar as his successor, but Raja Mannar’s ministers and advisors plan a coup d’état to kill them by hiring armies from Russia and Serbia to attack Vardharaja and Khansaar. Vardharaja manages to escape from Khansar and meets his childhood friend Deva, who learns about this and sets out to make Vardharaja as the undisputed successor of Khansaar.
Cast
- Prabhas as Devaratha “Deva” alias “Salaar” / Deva Salaar and Vardha’s childhood friend
- Prithviraj Sukumaran as Vardharaja “Vardha” Mannar, Raja Mannar’s son and Deva’s childhood friend
- Shruti Hassan as Aadhya, a school teacher
- Jagapathi Babu as Raja Mannar, Vardha’s father
- Bobby Simha
- Tinnu Anand as Gaikwad alias “Baba”
- Easwari Rao as Deva’s mother and school teacher
- Sriya Reddy
- Ramachandra Raju as Naarang
- Madhu Guruswamy
- John Vijay
- Saptagiri as peon boy in school
- Prudhvi Raj
- Jhansi
- Mime Gopi
- Simrat Kaur as herself in a special song
Production
Development
In mid August 2020, it was reported that Prabhas and Prashanth Neel were to collaborate for the latter’s next directional after KGF: Chapter 2 (2022). The former was reportedly impressed with the latter’s debut film Ugramm (2014) and wanted to make a film in the genre. Prashanth, during a media interaction in mid October, confirmed the collaboration between the two. On 2 December, the project was publicly announced by Hombale Films, who are funding the project. Touted to be an action thriller, the film marks the first collaboration between Prashanth and Prabhas, and the first Telugu-language venture of Neel. On 16 January 2021, the venture was launched in Hyderabad. Ravi Basrur was roped in to compose the score, while Bhuvan Gowda was roped in to handle the cinematography.
Casting
On his role, Prabhas stated that his character is “extremely violent”, something that he “haven’t really done before”. Shruti Haasan was cast in a leading role, playing the role as Aadhya and received a remuneration of ₹8 crore. Prithviraj Sukumaran was confirmed to play one of the lead roles, in his return to Telugu cinema after Police Police (2010). Prabhas revealed Prithviraj’s commitments in March 2022 during a promotional event for Radhe Shyam (2022). Madhu Guruswamy, Easwari Rao, Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha, were cast to play prominent roles.
Filming
The film’s shoot began on 29 January 2021 in the coal mines near the city of Godavarikhani, Telangana. First schedule was completed by February 2021. Second schedule of the film began in August 2021 in Hyderabad.
About 30% of the shoot was completed by March 2022. Filming was halted due to the release of Prabhas’ Radhe Shyam (2022) and Neel’s K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022) and was planned to be resumed in May, However, Prabhas underwent a knee surgery in March during his vacation in Spain, which further delayed the shoot. In June 2022, a new schedule began at Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City with Prabhas and Haasan joining the sets.] The team also shot a 20-minute long action sequence in the middle of the sea, spending about ₹10 crore on the scene.