(This article is authored by Alar) 

The anticipation for Thalapathy Vijay’s next film after ‘Leo’ is sky-high among his fans and the general audience. The project, tentatively titled ‘Thalapathy 68’, was officially announced by AGS Entertainment a few weeks ago, with Venkat Prabhu as the director and Yuvan Shankar Raja as the music composer.

While the details of the cast and crew are yet to be revealed, there is a lot of speculation about who will be Vijay’s heroine in the film. According to various reports, some of the top names in the industry are in contention for the coveted role. Nayanthara, who has worked with Vijay in three films before, is said to be one of the frontrunners.

Tamannah, who shared screen space with Vijay in ‘Sura’, is also reportedly in talks. Krithi Shetty, the young sensation who made her debut in ‘Uppena’, is another probable choice. Kalyani Priyadarshan and Mrunal Thakur are also said to be on the wishlist of the makers.

However, a new name has emerged recently as a possible contender for the female lead. Priya Bhavani Shankar, who has impressed the audience with her performances in films like ‘Meyaadha Maan’, ‘Monster’ and ‘Bommai’, is rumoured to be in the list of actresses approached by the team.

Priya Bhavani Shankar is a self-confessed fan of Vijay and had received a text message from him appreciating her work in ‘Meyaadha Maan’. She had expressed her gratitude and happiness on social media at that time. But Venkat Prabhu in recent press meet, assured that any official confirmation about the project will only be out after the actor's current project, Leo with Lokesh Kanagaraj.

Will Priya Bhavani Shankar get the golden opportunity to romance Thalapathy Vijay on screen? Or will it be one of the other actresses who will bag the role? The answer will be known soon as the film is expected to go on floors on June 22, coinciding with Vijay’s birthday. The film is slated for a summer 2024 release.