Karthik Gattamneni’s Mirai is having a dream run at the box office, having collected ₹100 crore worldwide in five days. Manchu Manoj, who played the film’s antagonist Mahabir Lama, aka Black Sword, is on cloud nine with the response. And if you think you’ve seen the last of his character, think again, because in an interview with Hindustan Times, Manoj teases the return of his character in future instalments. (Also Read: Interview | Manchu Manoj compares his character Black Sword in Mirai to Thanos, Ravana: ‘Not your token villain’)

Is Black Sword really dead?

At the end of the film, Teja Sajja’s character Vedha is almost beaten by Mahabir after he gains control of the nine grandhas (text) left behind by Emperor Ashoka and becomes powerful than ever. But right when Vedha is ready to sacrifice himself to save the day, the weapon he has been using, Mirai, transforms into Lord Rama’s bow Kodanda, and he fires an arrow at Mahabir. While there’s a huge blast which hints the villain is vanquished, he’s never really shown again.

Manoj reveals that his son, Dhairav, is a massive Black Sword fan and had numerous questions for him after watching Mirai. “My son had so many questions after we came back home from the screening. He asked if Rama killed Black Sword. I said, ‘Did you see him die?’ He said, ‘No’, but there was a blast,” says Manoj.

Manoj teases a war in future instalments

Manoj says that a key point many seemed to forget while watching the ending of Mirai was that the nine grandhas make him unbeatable, as mentioned many times throughout the film. “I said, yes, but he has a shield. He should be alive because he already has the ninth book,” he explains, adding, “Ravana, who also had amrit (nectar) like Mahabir, could not be beaten with a single arrow from Lord Rama; there was a war waged to beat him. Shriya Saran and Jagapathi Babu’s characters also mention a war that hasn’t even happened yet.”

Manoj says that his son seemed happy with the explanation and soon began putting the pieces together. “That’s the biggest hint that there’s more in store for the fight between Vedha and Mahabir. For one, when Vedha shot the arrow, did he hit Mahabir’s leg or head? Ravana could only be beaten when shot in the navel. There are so many questions left unanswered for my character and the film as a whole. Karthik has big plans for Mahabir in the franchise,” teases the actor, rounding off.