Not Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar, Aditya Dhar’s dream project was a Vicky Kaushal mytho drama, was shelved due to budget constraints

Backed by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP, the same production house behind Uri, the film was set to be headlined by Vicky Kaushal. The actor reportedly began intensive physical training for the role, and on 11 January 2021, Dhar took to Instagram to officially announce the project by unveiling two posters featuring the actor. He wrote in the caption, “Raising the bar higher for the superhero genre not only in India but across the world, this film is a high-concept visual spectacle in the making. From the team that brought to you URI The Surgical Strike, presenting @vickykaushal09 in and as #TheImmortalAshwatthama.”

 

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However, following the announcement, the project went quiet, triggering widespread speculation. Reports suggested that Ronnie Screwvala had stepped away from the film, with Dhar exploring a collaboration with Jio Studios due to funding issues. There were also rumours that Vicky Kaushal had been asked to exit the project amid concerns about his bankability for such an expensive film. Additionally, there were reports of Sara Ali Khan initially being cast, before being replaced by Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Eventually, Aditya Dhar put all speculation to rest, announcing that The Immortal Ashwatthama had been shelved.

Speaking at the trailer launch of Article 370, he said, “We have put that on the backburner right now. I’ll be honest, the kind of vision we all had for that, it was too big to work for Indian cinema. The kind of VFX quality we were looking at, nobody has even strived for it here.” He further explained that until technology becomes more affordable and cinema infrastructure expands, the project would have to wait. “For example, James Cameron thought of Avatar 27 years ago, but he waited for the market to grow. The tech to come to that level where he could actually present it. I’m, of course, not him, but if we have to achieve excellence, there can’t be any mediocrity. I can’t make it for the heck of it. Even if it takes five years of my prime time, the film has to be brilliant.”

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Emphasising his creative philosophy, Dhar added, “Once a film is made, then it remains for posterity. It can’t be something mediocre. It can’t have that intent that I just want to make money. It should strive for excellence. I truly believe that as makers we have a huge responsibility of representing our country in the right way.” In today’s landscape, however, where several high-budget and technologically ambitious mythological projects are already in production, such as Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part Ramayan and SS Rajamouli’s globe-trotting Varanasi, it appears to be only a matter of time before Dhar’s dream project finally sees the light of day, especially now that he has delivered yet another major hit.

Meanwhile, the filmmaker is gearing up for Dhurandhar: Part 2, which is slated for an Eid 2026 release. The first installment was set against the backdrop of the Pakistan underworld and featured a formidable ensemble cast including Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun.