Maria Ryaboshapka, Sivakarthikeyan's Prince Co-star Makes Tollywood Debut With Manchu Manoj's David Reddy

Manchu

Manoj is gearing up for his big comeback as a lead actor with David Reddy, a big-scale pan-India action drama set against the backdrop of British colonial rule. Adding to the film’s value, Ukrainian actor Maria Ryaboshapka has been roped in as the female lead, marking her entry into Tollywood. Maria, first gained fame in Sivakarthikeyan’s Prince. Directed by debutant Hanuma Reddy Yakkanti, the film promises an intense narrative rooted in history and resistance. With striking first-look posters and a multilingual release planned, David Reddy is set to become to be one of the most biggest projects in Manoj’s career.

Manchu Manoj Announces David Reddy With First Look

After starring as the antagonist in the blockbuster film Mirai, Manchu Manoj is all set to appear as the lead in his latest film David Reddy, a high-budget period action drama. The film is being produced by Nallagangula Venkat Reddy and Bharat Motukuri. Touted to be a pan-India project, David Reddy will be released simultaneously in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. Set during the British colonial era, the story unfolds between 1897 and 1920, a period marked by rebellion. Manoj Manchu plays the lead role of David Reddy, portrayed as a warrior who rises against the oppressive British regime.

On the occasion of Republic Day, the team unveiled two striking first-look posters. Both posters feature Manchu Manoj in intense avatars, indicating that the film will have action as its theme. The visuals hint at a character driven by vengeance.

After Sivakarthikeyan, Maria Ryaboshapka Teams Up With Manchu Manoj For David Reddy

Joining Manoj in this big venture is Ukrainian actor Maria Ryaboshapka, who plays the female lead. Maria is best known to Indian audiences for her role as Jessica, a British woman, in Sivakarthikeyan’s comedy Prince. Her performance, won appreciation from Tamil cinema audiences. Maria has previously spoken about choosing Prince as her Indian debut despite having other offers, drawn by the script and director Anudeep’s unique approach to comedy. Talking about working in films, Maria said in an interview that Indian and Ukrainian cultures differ greatly in terms of worldview, temperament, and social behavior, which is also reflected in their cinema.

For her, working in India was a completely new experience, from the climate and food to the society and filmmaking environment. She embraced the learning process and expressed gratitude to the team for their warmth and support, stressing that the friendly atmosphere on set made her feel welcomed rather than like an outsider. For the unversed, Maria Ryaboshapka was also seen in Special Ops 1.5. After working in series which was partly filmed in Ukraine, she received an overwhelming response from Indian audiences, along with several invitations to work in India. Meanwhile, Manoj was last seen in 2025's Mirai, and Bhairavam.