Chennai, 19 February (H.S.) : Renowned filmmaker S Shankar has reportedly approached Tamil star Dhanush for a significant role in his ambitious magnum opus, Velpari. Based on the acclaimed historical novel Veera Yuga Nayagan Vel Pari by Su Venkatesan, the project has long been described as the director's dream venture.

Industry sources suggest that Shankar has already made inquiries regarding the actor's date availability for the film, which is expected to be a multi-starrer featuring two lead heroes.

The speculation gained momentum after Shankar recently attended the pooja ceremony of Dhanush’s upcoming film, tentatively titled D55. It is also reported that R Take Studios, one of the production houses involved with D55, is in discussions to co-produce Velpari.

While official confirmation is still awaited, the potential collaboration has created a buzz in the industry, especially since Shankar was previously linked with stars like Chiyaan Vikram and Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh for the project.

The story of Velpari revolves around the legendary tribal king Vel Pari, celebrated in Tamil literature for his administrative skills, courage, and immense generosity. The film is expected to be mounted on a grand scale, depicting the historical conflict where the Chera, Chola, and Pandya empires united to challenge the tribal leader.

Following the release of Indian 2 and Game Changer, Shankar is currently focused on finalizing the cast for this historical epic, which is slated to be one of the most expensive productions in Indian cinema.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary