Jr NTR Resumes Dragon Shoot After Three-Month Injury Break
After nearly three months of recovery from shoulder surgery, Jr NTR is back on the sets of Prashanth Neel's Dragon. Here's what the schedule looks like now.
After nearly three months away, Jr NTR is back on the sets of Prashanth Neel’s action drama Dragon, bringing one of Indian cinema’s most-watched schedules back to full speed.
The break began in July, when the actor underwent surgery after an AC joint tendon injury in his right shoulder. The injury reportedly surfaced during preparations for the film’s intense action sequences. What followed was a period of rest, surgery and physiotherapy rather than filming.
On Thursday, Jr NTR rejoined the production at Ramoji Film City, where the latest schedule is already underway.
The production kept moving
His absence did not put the entire film on hold. According to reports, the team continued shooting scenes involving supporting actors, including Anil Kapoor. That practical approach kept the project alive but could not replace the lead’s presence on a film built around his character.
Now the makers are expected to accelerate the remaining work. The aim is to wrap the pending portions by early 2027, clearing the path for the film’s planned pan-India release on June 11, 2027.
- Injury: AC joint tendon in the right shoulder
- Surgery: July
- Time away: nearly three months
- Return: Thursday at Ramoji Film City
- Release target: June 11, 2027
A gritty world, a larger theme
Dragon is set in 1967 against an international opium syndicate. Jr NTR plays Luger, described as an intense, ruthless figure. The material is expected to be dark and large-scale, but director Prashanth Neel has reportedly called it one of his most patriotic films. That combination of gritty action and national sentiment is a familiar lane for Neel, whose world-building powered the KGF films and Salaar.
Why fans are watching closely
This is the first collaboration between Jr NTR and Prashanth Neel, and it arrives after RRR widened the actor’s audience far beyond Telugu cinema. For fans, the wait has been twofold: seeing the star recover and seeing whether the director can deliver a new scale of spectacle.
The release date gives the team a clear finish line, but the real test is post-production. Rukmini Vasanth is the female lead, with Anil Kapoor and Biju Menon rounding out the cast. The update is practical good news for the production: it turns a story about recovery into one about momentum, and it gives the film’s promotional machinery a reason to talk again.
Source: Filmfare
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