Rana Daggubati, best known for movies such as Baahubali and The Ghazi Attack, has joined Avengers: Infinity War universe. The South actor has lent his voice to the character of Thanos for the Telugu version of the Hollywood film. Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Infinity War", which features an ensemble of superheroes, will release worldwide on April 27. Disney India, in a move to expand its localisation efforts, has signed on Rana to lend his voice for the villainous character.
"I've grown up reading Marvel Comics and Marvel movies with their intricately woven storylines. It is fascinating to see how Marvel has created characters and stories that resonate so well with audiences across the globe, making movies at a scale that one had never before imagined," Rana said in a statement
"Characters such as Iron Man and Captain America have been my favourites. So dubbing for 'Avengers: Infinity War' was thrilling. Voicing for Thanos, a villain so powerful that some of the biggest superheroes have a tough time dealing with, was an exciting experience," added Rana Daggubati, who has finished dubbing for the movie.
"This year marks a milestone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it turns 10 and to add to the excitement, we are releasing 'Avengers: Infinity War' - the biggest superhero crossover one has ever seen," said Bikram Duggal, Executive Director and Head, Studio Entertainment, Disney India.
Duggal added acekeeping with the anticipation around the movie, we are offering our fans in South India an opportunity to experience the grandeur of the movie in a language that they prefer".
"With Rana Daggubati coming on board as the voice of Thanos, we are confident of reaching out to a wider audience base while retaining the magnitude and staying true to the ethos of the Marvel brand," Duggal said.
Disney India adopted a similar strategy for "The Jungle Book" in 2016, signing on Priyanka Chopra, Irrfan Khan, Nana Patekar, late Om Puri and Shefali Shah, to bring to life the characters in the Hindi version of the film.
It was followed by roping in actor Varun Dhawan for Captain America in the movie "Captain America Civil War".
"Avengers: Infinity War" is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and produced by Kevin Feige.
The movie stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch amongst others.
The film is releasing in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.