Riteish Deshmukh makes Telugu debut in Ram Pothineni's 'RAPO23'
Riteish Deshmukh will play a pivotal role in Ram Pothineni's 'RAPO23', marking his entry into Telugu cinema, the makers announced on Monday.
Actor Riteish Deshmukh will be seen in a pivotal role in the Telugu film ‘RAPO23’, marking his entry into Telugu cinema, the makers announced on Monday morning, 19 October 2026. (Asianet Newsable/ANI)
The announcement came with a 53-second behind-the-scenes video posted by RAPO Cinematics on X. The clip shows Ram Pothineni in the director’s chair while Deshmukh arrives on set and interacts with the lead actor — his face concealed throughout the video. The accompanying post reads: “Welcoming the ever-versatile @Riteishd on board for a very EXCITING ROLE ❤️🔥 #RAPO23 New Schedule Begins 💥 … Written & Directed by #RAPO. Produced by Krishna Pothineni. A @RAPO_Cinematics Production.” (LatestLY/ANI)
Samyuktha plays the female lead. The technical team includes cinematographer Thirunavukarasu (Tirru), production designer AS Prakash and music composer Sam CS, with action sequences designed by Peter Hein, Vikram Mor and Kevin. Filming is underway in Hyderabad. (Asianet Newsable/ANI)
RAPO23 marks Ram Pothineni’s directorial debut. (LatestLY/ANI)
Meanwhile, Deshmukh is also set to return as host of the new season of ‘Lock Upp’ with Farah Khan, following a first season that, according to Netflix, generated over five billion views across social media and word of mouth. (Asianet Newsable/ANI)
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