Tovino Thomas confirms he is no longer part of Jr NTR and Prashant Neel film Dragon: ‘It is very hard to allocate dates’

Actor Jr NTR and director Prashanth Neel announced in 2022 that they would collaborate on a film. It was earlier set to release in June 25.

Mar 31, 2026, 19:23:21 IST

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Tovino Thomas has given a major update on being a part of Jr NTR's next film with Prashant Neel. Jr NTR announced in 2022 that they would collaborate on a film. The film, tentatively titled Dragon, went on floors on August 9 with a pooja ceremony in Hyderabad. The makers even announced last year that it would be released in June 2026, but since then, there has been no update on the film.

Tovino Thomas has confirmed that he is no longer part of Jr NTR's next film.

What Tovino said

On Tuesday, while promoting his upcoming Malayalam film Pallichattambi in Hyderabad, Tovino confirmed that he is no longer part of the Telugu film. When he was asked about the film, he said, “It is really hard to allocate dates, so I am not doing it.”

He went on to add his stance on the way dates are given for a Telugu film. “I don’t do multiple films at once. In Malayalam, we finish a film in one schedule. But in Telugu, a single project takes almost a year. I can give 3 months, not an entire year,” he said.

About NTR Neel

NTR Neel is one of the most-awaited projects in Telugu cinema. The film announced on Jr NTR’s birthday in 2022 went on floors earlier last year. The actor also joined the sets on April 22 after he wrapped up shooting for his Bollywood debut, War 2, with director Ayan Mukherji and actor Hrithik Roshan. While NTR Neel has long been rumoured to have been named Dragon, the film’s team has yet to confirm or deny the same.

The official X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram account of NTR Neel had announced that the film will be released in theatres on June 25, 2026. They wrote, “26 June 2026…The Most striking tale ever to erupt from the Soil of Indian Cinema. A special glimpse for the Man of Masses @tarak9999’s birthday. #NTRNeel.” They also released a poster with the release date written on it in red against a monochrome background.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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