Rana Daggubati will star in an update on the 1971 classic Haathi Mere Saathi starring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja, Eros International’s Trinity Pictures announced on Thursday. Directed by Prabhu Solomon, the film will go into production in Thailand in January 2018 and be released in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu around Diwali.
“It’s a rare story about the relevance of nature in our lives, narrated through a wonderful relationship between man and elephant,” Dagubatti said in a press release. “This story is definitely another of those rare challenges I’m beginning to enjoy being a part of.” The actor added that the character he is playing in the film is “completely different” from what he has done in the past.
Dagubatti was last seen Nene Raju Nene Mantri and the Baahubali movies.
Solomon’s 2012 release Kumki also revolved around the story of a mahout and his pachyderm. “Elephants are truly amazing, intelligent and magnificent creatures and humans can take notes from the way they live, think and act and love,” Solomon said.
Launched in 2015, Trinity Pictures hopes to create movie franchises. Its first film, Sniff!, directed by Amole Gupte and released in August, failed to work at the box office.