“Rey… donga na kodaka” (“Hey, you scoundrel”), growls a fierce Tabu in the teaser of the upcoming Telugu film SlumDog – 33 Temple Road. The fiery dialogue offers a glimpse into the gritty nature of her character in the pan-Indian action entertainer headlined by Vijay Sethupathi.
Tabu plays a tough cop
Tabu steps into the role of a resolute police officer tasked with taking on a vengeful slum-dweller who appears to be spiralling out of control. The seasoned actress must balance toughness with empathy, especially since the titular slumdog is blind — or at least claims to be. Director Puri Jagannadh’s police characters have often been aggressive, uncompromising and larger than life. Tabu’s commanding presence in the film could extend far beyond the action sequences, with the possibility of her character springing a surprise in the second half. bThe action thriller also stars Duniya Vijay, Zarina Wahab and Samyuktha Menon in key roles.
A familiar territory
For Tabu, this is far from unfamiliar ground. The versatile actress memorably portrayed the relentless IG Meera Deshmukh in Drishyam (2015) and its sequel. In those films, it was her intelligence, determination and emotional intensity that drove the character. In SlumDog, however, she appears to embrace the swagger and authority of a quintessential commercial-cinema cop. Over the years, Tabu has also portrayed strong law-enforcement figures in films such as Kuttey and earlier works like Maachis. Her experience in playing layered, powerful women could make this role one of the film’s highlights.
Reuniting with Nagarjuna
Tabu is also part of Nagarjuna’s landmark 100th film, tentatively titled King100. The actor recently revealed that Tabu immediately expressed interest in joining the project once she learned about it. Nagarjuna shared that he has known the actress since the early days of her career and that the two continue to share a warm personal and professional bond.
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