Hyderabad, Oct 24: The makers of director Hanu Raghavapudi's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'Fauzi', featuring Pan Indian star Prabhas in the lead, have now released a gripping teaser of the film to mark the birthday of the actor and announced that the film will hit screens worldwide on March 19 next year.
For the unaware, the film was earlier scheduled to hit screens on December 3 this year.
Taking to his social media timelines, the film's director Hanu Raghavapudi wrote, "A little late, but the REBEL fever never fades - #HappyRebelsDay. Proudly presenting INDIA’S BIGGEST REBEL SOLDIER - OUR #Fauzi. In Cinemas March 19th 2027. #Prabhas25 #HappyBirthdayPrabhas."
The makers chose to mark the birthday of the actor with a teaser that disclosed the character of Prabhas in the film. The teaser shows Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose meeting Adolf Hitler in Berlin at the height of the second world war. During their meeting, Bose is seen asking help from Germany to defeat Britain, a common enemy. Hitler refuses help saying Britain has ruled India for two centuries and that "Slavery runs in your Indian blood". He says he won't back a losing battle. Subhas Chandra Bose sharply retorts telling Hitler in no uncertain terms that he knows nothing about Indians. He says he will free India from British rule, with or without Germany's help. He then goes on to make a point about the intelligence of Indians.
To put across his point, he cites the case of Fauzi (played by Prabhas), an Indian spy who was singularly responsible for the Japanese taking Singapore from Britain. Calling Fauzi a soldier, a strategist and a spy, Bose points out that while Britain knows all about German spies, they know nothing about him.
Bose also goes on to inform Hitler that Fauzi created an unbreakable code based on the Bhagavad Gita and that even the British had admitted that this code was far more difficult to break than the 'Enigma' created by the Germans. When Hitler wants to know the name of the spy, Bose tells him that nobody knows the name he was given at birth and that the British call him Fauzi.
The film has triggered huge interest in fans and film buffs ever since the makers first announced the project last year.
Fauzi hit the limelight earlier this year in April, when director Hanu Raghavapudi made an emotional appeal to people, asking them not to circulate leaked images of the film on social media.
Taking to his social media timelines, he had then said, "We’ve poured our hearts into #Fauzi to give you something truly special. Humbly requesting everyone, please don’t spoil the magic with leaks. Let’s experience it the way it’s meant to be… together in theatres."
At that point, the makers of the film, using the official handle of the film on the social media platform X, issued a stern warning to those accounts that were circulating the leaked images of the film.
The makers had then said, "It has come to our attention that certain accounts are circulating leaked images from the sets of #Fauzi. Please treat this as a strict warning - any such content will be reported, and necessary action will be taken against those involved."
The makers had further said, "These leaks compromise the experience we are carefully building. What’s coming on the big screen will be far bigger and worth the wait. We urge everyone to refrain from sharing or engaging with leaked content."
For the unaware, director Hanu Raghavapudi's upcoming historical action film, featuring actor Prabhas in the lead, was titled 'Fauzi'. While announcing the title of the film, the makers had used Sanskrit Shlokas.
Opening up on why they had used the Shlokas, director Hanu Raghavapudi had said, “We intentionally used Sanskrit Shlokas because they add gravity and meaning to our warrior tale. However, this is not a mythological film. We've only drawn philosophical inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita. 'Fauzi' is a powerful patriotic drama that explores human emotions and socio-political tensions during the British era, many of which still resonate globally today.”
The director, known for his visually rich storytelling in films like 'Sita Ramam', is said to be crafting 'Fauzi' as a large-scale cinematic experience that highlights the courage and inner conflicts of its protagonist.
'Fauzi' marks Prabhas’s return to a grand period drama epic after 'Baahubali', promising an emotional and visually breathtaking cinematic experience. The film is expected to be released in theatres in multiple languages this year.
The film, which is set in the 1940s and which was tentatively being referred to as #PrabhasHanu before being titled 'Fauzi', will be a fictional historical and will feature actress Imanvi as the female lead.
Apart from Prabhas and Imanvi, the film also will feature veteran actors Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Bhanu Chander and Jayapradha in pivotal roles.
The film has music by Vishal Chandrasekhar, who is one of director Hanu Raghavapudi's favourite music directors. Interestingly, it was Vishal Chandrasekhar who had scored the music for the director's earlier blockbuster 'Sita Ramam', featuring Dulquer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur in the lead.
Cinematography for the film is by Sudeep Chatterjee and lyrics for the songs in the film are by Krishna Kanth. Sheetal Sharma is the costume designer for this historical film, which has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs.
--IANS