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'NBK111': Kajal Aggarwal replaces Nayanthara in Nandamuri Balakrishna and Gopichand Malineni film - Report
ETimes | May 2, 2026 6:39 PM CST

Tollywood veteran Nandamuri Balakrishna and director Gopichand Malineni are working on an upcoming movie tentatively named ‘ NBK111 ’. While Nayanthara has been announced as the female lead, latest reports suggest that Kajal Aggarwal has now replaced her.

Kajal Aggarwal joins the teamAccording to Moneycontrol, Nayanthara is no longer part of the project and has been roped in her place instead. The reports further suggest that she has joined the film and has started shooting today.

The team feels she is a good fit for the role and this duo will bring a fresh pairing.

Why did Nayanthara opt out?There are a few reasons behind this change in the casting as it is reported that Nayanthara asked for a high payment, close to ten crore rupees. The makers also had trouble matching her dates. Another reason is that she does not take part in film promotions most of the time. This made things hard for the team. So the makers decided to move on.

Makers had shared Nayanthara’s involvement on her birthday with a small tease. The makers wrote, “The Queen who carries the Calm of Oceans and the Fury of Storms, #Nayanthara enters the empire of #NBK111. Warm birthday wishes from the team. HISTORICAL ROAR loading… with gigantic updates soon.”


Why was Kajal Aggarwal roped in?Meanwhile, Kajal Aggarwal agreed to adjust her dates. Her payment also suits the film budget. She is ready to help with promotions, too. This made her the right choice for the team.

The film is said to be a mass action film . The team has already finished an important shooting schedule with action scenes. Now they are working on picking a strong title. There are also talks about another heroine joining, but there is no clear update yet.

The film may release by the end of this year.


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