The makers of The Paradise, the highly anticipated film starring Natural Star Nani, have unveiled the first-look poster of the film’s chief antagonist, the legendary actor Mohan Babu. The poster reveals his powerful new avatar as ‘Shikanja Maalik,’ marking his return to the silver screen in a full-fledged negative role.

First Look Poster Out

Unveiled on Instagram, the intense first-look poster presents Mohan Babu in a spine-chilling avatar. With blood dripping from his hands, a lit cigar gripped casually between his fingers, and a pair of jet-black sunglasses masking his eyes. The visual is steeped in an aura of raw power and calculated brutality, embodying the essence of his character, Shikanja Maalik.

The poster was captioned, “Naam hai ‘SHIKANJA MAALIK’ The Dark Lord of cinema rises again, Bringing back The Legendary @themohanbabu Garu as ‘SHIKANJA MAALIK’ in #TheParadise to reclaim the peak villainism, In CINEMAS 26 March 2026. Releasing in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, English, and Spanish. Natural Star @nameisnani in an @srikanthodela__ cinema. An @anirudhofficial musical”

Mohan Babu’s Big Comeback as a Villain

Known for his screen presence and iconic dialogue delivery, Mohan Babu’s return in a grey-shaded role has already created a stir among fans. This marks a major comeback for the veteran actor, who last appeared in a villainous capacity several years ago.

A Visionary Project from the Director of Dasara

The Paradise is helmed by Srikanth Odela, who made an impactful debut with Dasara, a gritty action drama that earned both critical acclaim and box office success. The film became the highest-grossing film in Nani’s career, crossing Rs 100 crore worldwide.

Release Date

The film is scheduled to hit theatres worldwide on March 26, 2026, and will be released in an impressive eight languages: Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, English, and Spanish.