Nivetha Pethuraj on-board for our next film with Prabhudeva directed by AC Mugil

Prabhu Deva, who dons multiple hats including actor, producer, director, and choreographer, started shooting on Tuesday for his next Tamil film as a lead hero. The project, which marks the dancing sensation's first ever cop movie in Kollywood, will be directed by AC Mugil, an erstwhile associate of Prabhu Deva who worked in Vijay's Villu and Pokkiri.

Produced by Nemichand Jhabak and Hitesh Jhabak under the banner Jhabak Movies, the yet-untitled film features Nivetha Pethuraj as the lead heroine, marking her first collaboration with Prabhu Deva. The shooting kicked off in Chennai on Tuesday with an auspicious pooja.D Imman, who is currently busy with a bevy of films such as Thala Ajith's Viswasam, Sivakarthikeyan's Seema Raja, Karthi's Kadaikutty Singam and Dulquer Salmaan's Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal, has been signed to compose the music for the project.

Veteran filmmaker Mahendran, who delivered excellent performances in Vijay's Theri and Udhayanidhi Stalin's Niimir, Suresh Menon, who was last seen in Suriya's Thaanaa Serndha Koottam, and Mukesh Tiwari form the film's supporting cast. KG Venkatesh will handle the film's cinematography and stunt choreographer duo Anbariv has been signed to take care of stunt sequences.

The team began the first schedule of the film by shooting a fight sequence with Prabhu Deva and Mukesh Tiwari in Chennai on Tuesday. Tipped to be an action entertainer, the project marks the 12th production of Jhabak Movies, which is gearing up for the release of India's first space thriller Tik Tik Tik, starring Jayam Ravi and Nivetha Pethuraj, on 22 June.

In an official statement, director AC Mugil said, "We have not finalised any title for the film yet. It will be an important turning point in Prabhu Deva's acting career. He plays a police officer for the first time. It's an action thriller, and the film is majorly set in the backdrop of Chennai."Sources say the film is based on a real-life incident and carries a social message as well. 2018 has already witnessed the release of two Prabhu Deva films in Gulaebagavali and Mercury, and both did not live up to the expectations at the box-office. Prabhu Deva currently has Yung Mung Sung, Lakshmi and Charlie Chaplin at various stages of post-production.

While he is paired opposite Lakshmi Menon in Yung Mung Sung which is set in the period between 1970-87, Prabhu Deva will be sharing the screen with Aishwarya Rajesh in director Vijay's dance-based film Lakshmi. He has also wrapped up the shooting of comedy entertainer Charlie Chaplin 2, where he co-stars alongside Nikki Galrani and Adah Sharma.