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Kannada superstar Upendra's next film, a Kannada-Tamil bilingual action film, has been titled Next Level. Directed by Aravind Kaushik, the film's female lead opposite Upendra will be Aradhana Ram, daughter of Kannada actor Malashree.
The announcement was made through a formal film launch event held in Bengaluru at the Sri Dharmagiri Manjunathaswamy temple.
Niranjan Sudhindra, Upendra's nephew, is said to be playing a major role in the film. Next Level is produced by Tarun Shivappa under the Tarun Studios banner.
No plot details have been officially disclosed, though the film is described by its makers as an action drama being produced simultaneously in Kannada and Telugu for a pan-India release. Technical crew details beyond the director and producer have not been announced.
Upendra, born Upendra Rao on September 18, 1968, is one of Kannada cinema's most prominent actor-filmmakers. He made his directorial debut with Tharle Nan Maga (1992), and later directed Om (1995), which became a landmark film in Sandalwood's history. His acting career, which began with A (1998), spans over 50 films across Kannada, Telugu and Tamil cinema.
His most recent release as an actor was Raktha Kashmira (2026), directed by S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu. He previously directed and starred in UI (2024). He is most known for his blockbusters like Upendra (1993), Raktha Kanneeru (2003), and Uppi 2 (2015).
Aravind Kaushik, director, writer and an editor, has directed films like Ardhambardha Premakathe (2023), Shardula (2020), Huliraya (2017), Tuglak (2012), Nam Areal Ond Dina (2010).
Producer Tarun Shivappa's previous productions include the Kannada horror film Choo Mantar (2025), Khakii (2020) and superstar Shiva Rajkumar's Mass Leader (2017).
Aradhana Ram made her acting debut in Kaatera (2023), the Kannada action film directed by Tharun Sudhir and starring Darshan Thoogudeepa. Next Level marks her second film and her first with Upendra. She is the daughter of veteran Kannada actress Malashree, who was one of the leading action stars of the Kannada film industry through the 1990s and 2000s.