Chennai: Indian cinema is set to witness a first-of-its-kind experiment — a full-length feature film shot with a real lion.

Titled “Singha”, the ambitious project is being bankrolled by producer V Mathiyalagan under the banner of Etcetera Entertainment in association with Thithir Film House Pvt. Ltd. The film is directed by KC Ravithevan, a film institute alumnus and former assistant to actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan.

Actress Shrrita Rao, known for her roles in “Lenin Pandian” and “Kumki 2”, plays the female lead. Interestingly, when approached with the script, several top actresses were hesitant to perform with a lion, but Rao accepted the challenge.

Adding to the adventure, actress Leesha Eclairs, who has featured in films like “1945” and “Jawan”, portrays a negative character who appears in sequences with 300 wolves.

Shot across exotic and diverse locations, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Zambia, Goa, Tenkasi, and Visakhapatnam, “Singha” is designed as a pan-Indian release in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.

Speaking about the project, director Ravithevan said, “This is a challenging film, but we are strictly following all safety protocols. It’s made to appeal to audiences of all ages, with a story that’s both adventurous and global in scale.”

The technical crew includes music composer Amrish, cinematographer PG Muthiah, production designer Hasini Pavithra, editor Tamil Arasan, stunt choreographer Stunner Sam, and dialogue writer Kannan Selvaraj.

This marks producer V Mathiyalagan’s 14th film, following projects such as “Appa”, “Kolaiyuthir Kaalam”, “Maha”, “Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna” and “Saamaniyan.”