Citadel franchise to have Indian Original featuring Varun Dhawan

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Prime Video today confirmed the lead talent of the Indian installment of the Citadel universe, the first of its kind global-event series from Prime Video and the Russo Brothers’ AGBO. The untitled Citadel series based out of India will be led by creator duo Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK), who are the showrunners and directors of the series, which will feature Varun Dhawan in the lead role.

Written by Sita R. Menon along with Raj & DK, the local series, which starts filming in January 2023, will mark Varun’s streaming debut. More details on the cast and crew of the series will be announced soon. The untitled series will be available to Prime members in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

As previously announced, Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas will star in the first-to-launch series within the Citadel universe, which comes from the Russo Brothers’ AGBO along with David Weil (and is set to premiere in 2023. Additional local-language Citadel productions are also in the works, including an Italian Original series starring Matilda De Angelis.

“The Citadel universe from the Russo Brothers’ AGBO is a truly innovative and ambitious approach to storytelling, and we are super- excited to begin production on the Indian chapter. With this project, we are building on our mission of borderless entertainment to produce local Original content that can be enjoyed by audiences across the world. Citadel is a truly global franchise, with local productions across countries that build back to an interconnected storyline—a first-of-its-kind innovation in storytelling,” said Gaurav Gandhi, vice president, Prime Video India.

He added, “We are delighted to have Varun Dhawan play the lead in this Indian installment of the franchise. With Raj and DK at the helm of creating this action-packed spy series, we believe that the Citadel India chapter will not just raise the bar in terms of Original productions in India, but will also bring global attention to India’s incredible pool of creators and talent. We can’t wait to share it with our audience in India and around the world.”

“The Indian installment of the distinctive and scintillating Citadel universe is among our most exciting projects, and collaborating with the Russo Brothers’ AGBO has truly been a thrilling opportunity. Having Varun make his streaming debut and headline this Prime Video series is a matter of great pride for us,” said Aparna Purohit, head of India originals, Prime Video. “After the phenomenal success of The Family Man, working with Raj & DK on this project feels like we are further cementing our creative partnership. We are certain that with this series, we will push the envelope several notches higher and present a truly immersive experience to our viewers.”

“We are thrilled to see yet another production within the Citadel universe commencing, this time in India. We, and all of AGBO, consider it an honor to be collaborating with filmmakers as inspiring as DK and Raj, who bring a unique vision, style and tone to our collection of global series. And we can’t wait to see how this remarkable cast brings their and Sita’s imaginative characters to life,” said executive producers Anthony and Joe Russo in a combined statement.

“We are super thrilled to be a part of this global event series envisioned by the Russo Brothers, two very inspiring filmmakers and creators, along with our long-time partners Prime Video! We are especially looking forward to working with the versatile and dynamic Varun,” said creator duo Raj & DK. “We have worked very hard collaborating with the other international teams to bring a unique interwoven universe to our audiences. We hope to push the boundaries of storytelling with Citadel India. Stay tuned for the next announcement!”

Varun Dhawan said, “Prime Video is like home to me, and I am thrilled to begin this journey in the streaming space with them. Citadel is an exceptionally ambitious and exciting franchise, and to be part of this magnificent universe, conceptualized by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO and Jennifer Salke, is a landmark moment in my career. I have been a big fan of their work, and I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this project, and can’t wait to start shooting it. The storyline of the Indian Citadel chapter is fantastic, and when you have creators like Raj & DK on board, one can be certain that a spectacle is in the making.” The actor completed a decade in the field this year.

Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, under their banner of D2R Films, will also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by D2R Films and Amazon Studios, with AGBO’s Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Scott Nemes, and David Weil overseeing production on the Indian Original. Josh Applebaum, André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg serve as executive producers for Midnight Radio on the untitled Indian Original.