Exclusive | ‘777 Charlie’ Director Kiranraj’s Next Film Will Be With Dhruva Sarja

Kannada filmmaker K Kiranraj’s next film will be with Dhruva Sarja, The Hollywood Reporter India has learnt. Kiranraj last directed Rakshit Shetty in the hit, heart-rending adventure drama 777 Charlie (2022), which followed the relationship between a lonely factory worker and a Labrador.

A source close to the upcoming project tells us that the film will go on floors once Dhruva Sarja finishes filming his upcoming Kannada film, Criminal. “A rough script is in place, and the full script will be finalised soon. The film will go on floors in the next three to four months,” the source tells THR India. 

Dhruva Sarja will next be seen in Criminal, an intense action film based on a “true love story” alongside Rachita Ram. The film was launched with a pooja ceremony in November last year. "It’s a wonderful collaboration with @GTelefilms for a fantastic script and I’m super excited to collaborate with the skilled team #Rajguru DOP Vaidi sir #thara @chandanspshetty n Team. Need all your blessing love and support as always!" she wrote. The film will be produced by Manish Shah and directed by B Rajguru. Rachita Ram, a popular Kannada actress, was last seen in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie alongside Soubin Shahir. Sarja, on the other hand, was last seen in 2024’s Martin, and is anticipating the release of KD: The Devil.

777 Charlie went on to win the National Film Award for best Kannada film the year it released. Kiranraj was the associate director for Rakshit Shetty’s Kirik Party (2016) and Ricky (2016) before going on to work with Shetty on 777 Charlie. Whilst working for 777 Charlie, Kiranraj also directed a film for the anthology Katha Sangama (2019). The film, produced by Paramvah Studios, co-stars Sangeetha Sringeri, Raj B. Shetty, Danish Sait, and Bobby Simha, among others, with Arvind Kashyap as the DOP.