Varun Dhawan to headline Indian instalment of 'Citadel', filming to start next year

It's confirmed! Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan will play the lead role in Prime Video's Indian original series within the 'Citadel'franchise. The streaming platform announced the same on Tuesday via a social media post. Billed as a "local Prime Original spy series", the untitled project will be helmed by Raj & DK, who previously collaborated with the streaming platform on the hit'The Family Man'series.

Written by Sita R. Menon along with Raj & DK, the shoot of thespy series will begin in January 2023 and itwill mark Dhawan’s OTT debut. More details about the cast and crew of the series are yet to be announced.

Richard Maddenand Priyanka Chopra Jonaswill be starring in the first-to-launch series within the 'Citadel' universe, which has been created by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO along with David Weil.The series will premiere in 2023. Other than Richard and Priyanka, the first-to-launch Citadel series will also star Stanley Tucci from 'The Hunger Games' saga.

Several other local-language 'Citadel' productions are also in the works, including an Italian Original series featuring Matilda De Angelis.

Speaking on his OTT debut, Varun Dhawan said, "Prime Video is like home to me, and I am thrilled to begin this journey in the streaming space with them. Citadel is an exceptionally ambitious and exciting franchise, and to be part of this magnificent universe, conceptualised by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO and Jennifer Salke, is a landmark moment in my career. I have been a big fan of their work and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this project, and can’t wait to start shooting it. The storyline of the Indian Citadel chapter is fantastic, and when you have creators like Raj & DK on board, one can be certain that a spectacle is in the making."

"We are delighted to have Varun Dhawan play the lead in this super exciting Indian instalment of the franchise. With Raj and DK at the helm of creating this action-packed spy series, and Varun playing the lead, we believe the Citadel India chapter will not just raise the bar in terms of Original productions in India, it will also bring global attention to India’s incredible pool of creators and talent. We can’t wait to share it with our audience in India and around the world," said Gaurav Gandhi, vice president, Prime Video India.

"We are thrilled to see yet another production within the Citadel universe commencing, this time in India. We, and all of AGBO, consider it an honour to be collaborating with filmmakers as inspiring as DK and Raj, who bring a unique vision, style, and tone to our collection of global series. And, we can’t wait to see how this remarkable cast brings their and Sita’s imaginative characters to life,” said executive producers Anthony and Joe Russo.

Creator duo Raj & DK also spoke about the new collaboration. "We are super excited to be a part of this global event series envisioned by the Russo Brothers, two very inspiring filmmakers and creators; along with our long-time partners Prime Video! We are especially looking forward to working with the versatile and dynamic Varun," the duo stated. "We've worked very hard collaborating with the other international teams to bring a unique interwoven universe to our audiences. Along with a sparkling cast, we hope to push the boundaries of storytelling with Citadel India. Stay tuned for the next announcement!"

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK under their banner D2R Films will also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by D2R Films, and Amazon Studios, with AGBO’s Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Scott Nemes, and David Weil (Hunters) overseeing production on the Indian Original and all series within the global Citadel universe. Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg serve as executive producers for Midnight Radio on the untitled Indian Original and all series within the global Citadel universe.

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