Rishabh Sawhney Transforms into Fearsome Abdali in Pan-India Epic Nagabandham; First Look Unveiled

Director Abhishek Nama’s ambitious mythological action spectacle Nagabandham is steadily building anticipation ahead of its pan-India theatrical release this summer. Headlined by Virat Karrna, the film is set to reveal its teaser on the 15th of this month, coinciding with the sacred occasion of Maha Shivaratri. Ahead of the teaser launch, the makers have now introduced another pivotal character from the film’s epic storyline.

Actor Rishabh Sawhney, who caught attention with his intense presence in Fighter, steps into the role of the notorious Afghan ruler Abdali. Set against the historical backdrop of 1750, the film portrays Abdali’s brutal invasion of India, chronicling his destructive campaigns, temple plunder, and insatiable hunger for power and riches.

The newly released first-look poster presents a visually arresting tableau. Rishabh is seen charging through a snow-covered battlefield, wielding a massive, blood-stained battle axe. His ferocious expression, combined with the chaos around him—marching soldiers, fluttering green war banners, archers, towering war elephants, and an encircling pack of wolves—creates a chilling atmosphere of dominance, violence, and impending devastation.

In Nagabandham, Abdali is portrayed as a merciless and obsessive antagonist, driven by ambition to uncover the mythical Naga Bandham, believed to be hidden deep within the Himalayas. The narrative depicts his cruelty without restraint, showing his willingness to sacrifice countless innocent lives, including Brahmins and children, in pursuit of ultimate power—cementing him as one of the darkest figures in the film’s historical universe.

Director Abhishek Nama expressed strong praise for Rishabh’s transformation, stating that the actor brings an uncanny realism to the role, making the character feel disturbingly authentic on screen. According to the filmmaker, Rishabh’s performance adds both depth and intensity, elevating the antagonist beyond a conventional villain.

Sharing his thoughts, Rishabh said he felt privileged to take on such a demanding role, adding that he aimed to capture the psychological complexity and motivations of Abdali while staying true to the film’s narrative vision.

The film stars Nabha Natesh and Iswarya Menon as the female leads. Veteran actors Jagapathi Babu, Jayaprakash, Murali Sharma, and B. S. Avinash play key supporting roles, lending weight and gravitas to the epic drama.

On the technical front, Soundar Rajan S handles cinematography, RC Pranav oversees editing, and Ashok Kumar leads the grand-scale production design, ensuring a visually immersive cinematic experience.

Produced by Kishore Annapureddy and Nishitha Nagireddy, Nagabandham is currently progressing through its final stages of production, moving steadily toward completion.