Mahesh Babu has joined the cast of Disney's much-anticipated film, Mufasa: The Lion King, where he will voice the character of Mufasa in the Telugu version. Following in the footsteps of Shah Rukh Khan, who is lending his voice to Mufasa in the Hindi version, Mahesh Babu expressed his excitement about the role. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the film is set to release in India on December 20. The film will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages.
In a statement, Mahesh Babu shared, "I have always admired Disney's blockbuster legacy of entertainment and timeless storytelling; the character of Mufasa appeals to me not only as a loving father guiding his son but as the supreme king of the jungle taking care of his clan. My family means everything to me, and this collaboration with Disney is personally very special as it is an experience I will cherish with my children! I am looking forward to when my family as well as my fans will be watching Mufasa: The Lion King in Telugu on the big screen on 20th December."
Accompanying Mahesh Babu in the Telugu version, Brahmanandam will voice the character of Pumbaa and Ali will bring Timon to life. The Telugu trailer is scheduled to launch on August 26 at 11:07 AM. The film is set to combine live-action filmmaking techniques with photorealistic computer-generated imagery, bringing both new and beloved characters to life.
On the Hindi front, Shah Rukh Khan will voice Mufasa, with his sons Aryan Khan as Simba and AbRam Khan as young Mufasa. This marks AbRam's voice debut, while Aryan has previously voiced Simba in the 2019 Hindi version of The Lion King, alongside Shah Rukh Khan's portrayal of Mufasa.
Mahesh Babu was last seen in the commercial hit Guntur Kaaram, directed by Trivikram Srinivas, where he starred alongside Sree Leela, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu and others. He is currently preparing for his role in SS Rajamouli's highly anticipated project, tentatively titled SSMB29.