Atlee Turns 40 as Raaka Motion-Capture Tease Adds to Allu Arjun Film Buzz

Director Atlee Kumar turned 40 on September 21, with birthday wishes pouring in as his highly anticipated collaboration with Allu Arjun, Raaka, continues to generate buzz through a series of cryptic promotional updates.

Sun Pictures marked Atlee’s birthday with a special post celebrating his vision, while the Raaka team added another intriguing clue to its ongoing campaign. A new poster carries the line “37, 1 record, and that made history!” along with the hashtag #Mocap, suggesting that the number “37” is connected to a motion-capture achievement. However, the makers have not officially explained exactly what the figure represents. Reports claiming it refers to 37 motion-capture performers remain unconfirmed.

The mystery began on September 17, when Sun Pictures released a poster featuring only “37”, followed by a promotional video describing Raaka as “a global triumph.” The campaign has triggered several fan theories, including speculation that “37” points to September 21, Atlee’s birthday. The connection was initially only a fan theory and was not confirmed by the makers.

Formerly known as AA22xA6, Raaka is being directed by Atlee and produced by Sun Pictures. The project was officially renamed Raaka earlier this year, with Allu Arjun unveiled in a striking bald look.

According to an India Today report citing a source close to the project, the film is being planned as a two-part franchise, with the story spanning a tribal Puranic-Vedic era and a contemporary world. The report also puts the production scale at around ₹1,000 crore and says Mrunal Thakur will feature in the modern-day storyline, while Deepika Padukone, Janhvi Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna are linked to the historical timeline.

The ensemble reportedly also includes Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu and Jim Sarbh, while Shah Rukh Khan’s much-discussed extended cameo is yet to be filmed and is planned for an overseas schedule, according to reports.

The film is being mounted with extensive visual effects and motion-capture technology. Recent reports have also highlighted the international scale of its production, while Allu Arjun’s manager clarified that the core team itself has not compared Raaka with films such as Avatar.

For now, the makers are keeping the story tightly under wraps. The first glimpse of Raaka is expected in December 2026, while no official theatrical release date has been announced. Reports have indicated a possible late-2027 release, but that timeline remains subject to change.