One of the most beloved actors in Telugu cinema, Ravi Teja was recently forced to halt production on his most recent film by a medical emergency.
Teja is known as the Mass Maharaja for a reason. Films like 2006’s Vikramarkudu, 2017’s Raja the Great, and 2022’s Dhamaka have secured his legacy as a sure bet at the box office and served as evidence of his mass appeal and unique capacity for entertaining filmgoers. Naturally, there was a lot of anticipation for his upcoming movie, currently known only by its working title, RT75 (accurately describing the actor’s 75th film).
Still, with Teja bedridden for now, fans will have to wait a little while longer for its release.
Is Ravi Teja doing okay?
Yes. The 56-year-old took to X to thank fans for their well wishes and to offer reassurance that his surgery had been successful. “Excited to be back on set soon,” Teja cheered.
The Jaggampeta native underwent surgery on Thursday, Aug. 22 for a muscle tear in his right hand which he suffered during the filming of RT75. Per a statement released a day later by his representatives, the actor tried to ignore the injury and continue the shoot, but it only worsened it. The procedure took place at Yashoda Hospitals and the actor was prescribed six weeks of bed rest for a full recovery.
Production on RT75 began in early June and was marked by a pooja or prayer ceremony with the cast and crew. The film will see Teja reunite with Dhamaka co-star Sreeleela and is directed by Samajavaragamana writer Bhanu Bhogavarapu in his directorial debut.
Fans recently flocked to theaters to catch the Mass Maharaja in Mr. Bachchan, a Telugu-language remake of the massively popular 2018 Hindi film Raid. Despite Teja’s screen pull, the movie was panned by critics. RT75, whose plot is being kept under wraps, is expected to be the Tollywood superstar’s return to acclaimed filmmaking and is scheduled for a 2025 release. Teja’s injury could affect the month of release, but it is not expected to alter the year.