Naga Chaitanya's NC23 with Chandoo Mondeti is titled 'Thandel', first character poster features 'Chay' in a dark, tough shade

Naga Chaitanya's upcoming project, NC23, is set to commence its shoot soon and the makers have finally unveiled the actor's character poster and also revealed the movie's title.
In a recent update, the official title of the film was unveiled as ‘Thandel,’ also the name of Naga Chaitanya's character. The first-look poster was also shared, depicting Chaitanya in a rugged boat amidst a storm, holding a row, dressed in a simple brown vest and pants.

The caption and the poster suggest that Chaitanya's character will be portraying a leader of the fishermen community.The makers shared the poster on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: "A leader is born to ride against the tide and time for his people; @chay_akkineni in and as #Thandel; The Birthday Celebrations of Yuvasamrat begin early."
Posting the same poster on his personal Instagram account, Chay wrote, “#NC23 is #Thandel
A character I’m really looking forward to playing .. and a team I’m really fond of @chandoo.mondeti, @saipallavi.senthamarai, @ThisIsDSP, and everyone at @GeethaArts.
Shoot begins soon :)”

Reportedly based on true events, ‘Thandel’ has seen Chandoo Mondeti and Naga Chaitanya visiting the K Matchilesam village in Srikakulam for preparation, interacting with the local fishermen to understand their lifestyle and culture.
Speaking about the film earlier, Naga Chaitanya expressed his excitement upon hearing the script and mentioned that preparations for the film helped him grasp the lifestyle and body language of the fishermen and understand the texture of the village.

Moreover , the makers revealed that Sai Pallavi would be the lead alongside Naga Chaitanya, marking their second collaboration after the 2021 film ‘Love Story.’ Thandel is going to be marked as Naga Chaitanya's 23rd film. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, this is the actor-director duo's third collaboration after ‘Premam’ in 2016 and ‘Savyasachi’ in 2018.

Apart from ‘Thandel,’ Naga Chaitanya is set to appear in the web series ‘Dhootha,’ marking his debut in the shorter format. The series, a supernatural horror story, features a notable cast including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Prachi Desai, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and others. Scheduled for release on December 1, it adds another dimension to Naga Chaitanya's diverse acting ventures.