The original Rakshasudu was the Telugu remake of the Tamil blockbuster Ratsasan, which starred Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul
Actor-producer Koneru Lakshman Havish, who backed the Telugu hit Rakshasudu, has exclusively revealed that its much-awaited sequel, Rakshasudu 2, will be darker, more intense, and will feature an entirely new antagonist.
The original Rakshasudu was the Telugu remake of the Tamil blockbuster Ratsasan, which starred Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul. While the Tamil version has yet to spawn a sequel, Havish is now developing one for the Telugu adaptation—a film that was both a critical and commercial success.
Speaking exclusively, Havish shared how the idea for the sequel took shape. “After Rakshasudu released, the kind of love and curiosity the audience had was incredible. Many people asked, ‘What happens next in Arun’s life?’ That really planted the seed,” he said.
“But we didn’t want to do a sequel just for the sake of it. We waited until we had a story that was truly gripping and organically extended the character’s journey. We’ve developed an original script that retains the psychological thriller’s essence but adds more darkness and intensity. It explores a completely new case with a very different antagonist.”
The sequel is currently in its advanced pre-production phase. “The script is locked, and we’re scouting for locations,” Havish confirmed. “I can’t reveal too much at this point, but I promise it’s going to be worth the wait.”
Alongside Rakshasudu 2, Havish is also gearing up for another film, this time in collaboration with director Trinadha Rao Nakkina, known for his massy, laugh-out-loud entertainers. The yet-to-be-titled project is said to be a full-blown commercial entertainer, with Havish playing a central character.
On working with Nakkina, Havish said, “It’s been a blast. His understanding of humour, timing, and how he crafts his characters are just amazing. I play an everyday guy who ends up in some wildly unexpected situations. It’s a character the audience will instantly relate to, but what makes it enjoyable is how his reactions and dialogues elevate the comedy.”
Calling comedy one of the toughest genres to master, Havish explained, “Comedy is all about rhythm—it’s like music. If you’re even a second off, the joke falls flat. So I’ve been working hard on my timing, body language, and improvisation. We’ve had rehearsals just to explore different reactions to the same scene, trying to find that perfect beat. It’s been creatively satisfying and a lot of fun.”
Confident about the impact of his character in the upcoming film, Havish revealed that the team is eyeing a big festive release—possibly during Sankranthi or Summer next year. “These are tentative plans, of course,” he said, “but everything’s shaping up really well.”
