Samantha was not the First Choice 

Director Gunasekhar is currently busy with the promotions of his upcoming film Shaakuntalam. Starring Samantha in the titular role, this mythological drama will hit the screens on April 14. Meanwhile, Gunasekhar stated that Sam was not the first choice for this film.

Speaking in a recent interview, Samantha was not his first choice for this film. But his daughter suggested Sam’s name. Then, Gunasekhar watched Rangasthalam once again and was impressed by the way Sam stepped into the shoes of a village girl’s character. That’s when he decided to cast her. Immediately, he approached Sam and the latter gave the nod as well.

Gunasekhar said that initially, he planned to finish the film within six months but it took him longer due to various reasons. He stated that it took him 81 working days to finish the shoot. The post-production took more than a year and a half. On the whole, Gunasekhar spent three years on this movie.

Shaakuntalam features Dev Mohan as the lead hero. Mohan Babu, Kabir Bedi, Aditi Balan, Ananya Nagalla and Allu Arha played other key roles in it.