Tovino Thomas Drops Out of Jr NTR’s NTRNeel — Here’s the Real Reason Behind This Shocking Exit!

South Indian cinema fans were buzzing with excitement at the prospect of Tovino Thomas playing the antagonist opposite Jr NTR in the highly anticipated NTRNeel (Dragon). But that dream collab…

By Reetam Bodhak

April 1, 2026

3 min read

Comments

South Indian cinema fans were buzzing with excitement at the prospect of Tovino Thomas playing the antagonist opposite Jr NTR in the highly anticipated NTRNeel (Dragon). But that dream collab has now officially been put to rest — and Tovino himself has explained exactly why.

NTRNeel x Tovino Thomas — What We Know

Detail	Info
🎬 Film Title	NTRNeel (also referred to as Dragon)
🦸 Lead Actor	Jr NTR
🎥 Director	Prashanth Neel
🦹 Rumoured Villain	Tovino Thomas (now confirmed NOT joining)
❌ Reason for Exit	Scheduling conflicts
👩 Co-lead (Expected)	Rukmini Vasanth
🌍 Recent Shoot Location	Jordan (action sequences)

Tovino Himself Breaks the Silence

While promoting his upcoming film Pallichattambi, Tovino Thomas addressed the NTRNeel rumours directly during a Telugu media interaction. He was refreshingly straightforward about it: scheduling conflicts made it impossible for him to commit to the project. It’s a real shame — the idea of the Minnal Murali star stepping into a Prashanth Neel villain’s shoes alongside Jr NTR was genuinely thrilling for fans across industries.

The Malayalam cinema industry is one of the most prolific in India, and Tovino is undeniably one of its busiest faces right now — which makes the date conflict entirely believable.

What’s Keeping Tovino So Busy?

Tovino’s packed dance card tells the whole story. He has back-to-back major releases lined up, leaving virtually no room for a big Telugu production commitment. Here’s a quick look at his upcoming work:

Pallichattambi: The Origin — A period action drama directed by Dijo Jose Antony, releasing April 10, 2026. The film also stars Kayadu Lohar and is expected to feature a cameo from Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Athiradi — Co-starring Vineeth Sreenivasan and Basil Joseph, this one hits theatres on May 14, 2026.

That’s two major Malayalam releases within just over a month — no wonder he simply couldn’t free up dates for NTRNeel.

What About Jr NTR and the Film?

Jr NTR, fresh off his critically acclaimed performance in War 2 alongside Hrithik Roshan, is deep into the NTRNeel shoot. The film is his first collaboration with director Prashanth Neel — the mastermind behind the KGF franchise — making it one of the most hyped pan-India projects in the pipeline. Stay updated on all the latest from the world of South Indian cinema at TechnoSports, and don’t miss our full coverage of upcoming Telugu blockbusters at TechnoSports.

FAQs

Q: Why is Tovino Thomas not doing NTRNeel?

Tovino Thomas confirmed he is not part of the film due to scheduling conflicts, as allocating dates for the project became very difficult given his packed slate of Malayalam films.

Q: When is Tovino Thomas’s next film Pallichattambi releasing?

Pallichattambi: The Origin, directed by Dijo Jose Antony and co-starring Kayadu Lohar and Prithviraj Sukumaran (in a cameo), is set to release on April 10, 2026.