The tamil trailer of Thandel, a film based on true events about fishermen who were imprisoned in Pakistan, was unveiled at a launch event in Chennai on Thursday. The film, directed by Sandhu Mondetti, stars Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles.
“After hearing this true story from 2018, I went to Srikakulam and met the fishermen to understand their way of life,” said Naga Chaitanya, speaking at the event. “It’s about their journey from Srikakulam to Gujarat, and then spending a year and a half in Pakistan before returning home.”
Producer Allu Aravind revealed that the film’s story rights were acquired from twenty individuals who experienced imprisonment in Pakistan. “The story is concise, but director Sandhu has transformed it into a compelling two-hour narrative,” he said.
The film marks a shift for Naga Chaitanya, who underwent physical transformation for his role. “I changed myself for this character,” he said, referring to the year and a half of preparation for the part.
Sai Pallavi, who stars opposite Chaitanya, described how the director adapted the story. “Sandhu took a true incident from the Covid period and developed it into a love story,” she said. “The shooting lasted one and a half years, and it’s been an unforgettable journey.”
Music composer Devi Sri Prasad has scored the film’s soundtrack. “When producer Bunny Vas and director Sandhu pitched the story in one line, I was immediately interested,” he said. “The connection between the sea and Chennai made it particularly relevant to Tamil Nadu audiences.”
The film, produced by Geetha Arts and presented by Allu Aravind, will release worldwide in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi on February 7. Dream Warrior Pictures will distribute the Tamil version.