Mumbai: Malayalam actress Mamitha Baiju has reportedly joined the cast of Jai Hanuman, the much-anticipated pan-India film directed by Prasanth Varma and featuring Kannada actor Rishab Shetty in the lead role. According to reports, the actress has already begun shooting for her portions and will share screen space with Rishab.

However, neither Mamitha nor the film’s makers has officially confirmed her involvement. Details about the role she is expected to play have also not been disclosed.

The reported casting has generated interest among fans, with Mamitha steadily expanding her presence across the South Indian film industry. Her association with projects featuring prominent stars has further raised her profile beyond Malayalam cinema.

Mamitha Baiju expands her presence across Indian cinema

Mamitha has emerged as a familiar face among younger audiences through her work in Malayalam films. She is also associated with Vijay’s upcoming film Jana Nayagan and Suriya-starrer Viswanathan & Sons.

Her reported inclusion in Jai Hanuman would add another major pan-India project to her filmography, bringing her into a production connected to the Telugu film industry and featuring one of Kannada cinema’s prominent contemporary actors.

Although the nature of her character remains unknown, her reported casting has added to the anticipation surrounding the film. An official announcement from the production team is awaited to establish the details of her participation.

The project is particularly significant because it follows the success of Hanu-Man, which helped establish director Prasanth Varma’s superhero-focused cinematic universe. The sequel is expected to build on the world introduced in the 2024 Telugu blockbuster.

‘Jai Hanuman’ follows the success of ‘Hanu-Man’

Directed by Prasanth Varma, Jai Hanuman is the sequel to Hanu-Man, the 2024 Telugu film that attracted attention for its superhero narrative inspired by Indian mythology.

Rishab Shetty is set to lead the upcoming film, marking an important collaboration between the director and the Kannada actor. Rishab Shetty Films is also involved in the production.

The sequel has generated considerable interest because of the combination of mythology, superhero storytelling and a pan-India release strategy. The project brings together talent associated with different regional film industries, reflecting the growing trend of productions designed to reach audiences across language markets.

Further details about the film’s plot, supporting cast and release plans remain subject to official announcements. Mamitha’s reported involvement, if confirmed, would provide another link between Malayalam cinema and the wider pan-Indian project.

Rishab Shetty describes the film as Kannada cinema

In an earlier interview with Prajavani, Rishab Shetty spoke about the linguistic identity of Jai Hanuman. He noted that the director and producers came from the Telugu film industry, while he would represent Karnataka as the lead actor.

Drawing a comparison with Lord Hanuman, Rishab reportedly said that both he and the deity were Kannadigas and described the project as a Kannada film.

His comments highlighted the distinction between a film’s production background and the cultural or linguistic identity associated with its lead performer. The actor also explained that the project would bring together artistes from different language industries while allowing them to speak in their respective languages.

According to Rishab, Kannada artistes would speak Kannada, Hindi artistes would speak Hindi and Telugu artistes would speak Telugu. The film would subsequently be dubbed into other languages to reach a wider audience.

This approach reflects the increasingly multilingual nature of Indian cinema, where productions often bring together performers and technicians from several industries rather than being confined to a single language market.

Rishab says cinema goes beyond language barriers

Rishab also emphasised that cinema transcends linguistic boundaries and that audiences ultimately choose films based on their appeal rather than simply the language in which they are made.

His remarks underline the wider ambitions associated with Jai Hanuman. While the film draws on a story rooted in Indian mythology, its reported casting and multilingual approach suggest an effort to connect with viewers across regions.

The success of pan-India films has demonstrated that stories can find audiences beyond their original language markets when supported by compelling narratives, performances and production values. At the same time, the involvement of artistes from different industries can bring varied cultural perspectives to a project.

For Jai Hanuman, the combination of Prasanth Varma’s direction and Rishab Shetty’s lead role has already made the sequel one to watch among upcoming Indian productions. The reported addition of Mamitha Baiju has now added another point of interest, although confirmation from the makers is still awaited.

As production progresses, further announcements are expected to clarify the cast and other details of the film. Until then, Mamitha’s reported participation remains unconfirmed.