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Vicky Kaushal’s The Immortal Ashwatthama Shelved As Film Goes Over Budget By Rs 75 Crore
Vicky Kaushal, after URI's success, signed many films, including The Immortal Ashwatthama which marked his reunion with filmmaker Aditya Dhar.
After the success of Uri: The Surgical Strike, actor Vicky Kaushal had signed many films, including The Immortal Ashwatthama, which marked his reunion with filmmaker Aditya Dhar. It was set to be a superhero film, marketed as a "high-concept visual spectacle". It starred Sara Ali Khan opposite Vicky Kaushal.
The project was supposed to go on the floors in mid-2020 but had to be delayed due to the pandemic. It was backed by tons of VFX but was put on a backburner, never to see the daylight.
Reportedly, a few months ago, producer Ronnie Screwvala decided to delay the film since the budget did not match the ambitious project given the uncertainty amid an ongoing pandemic. Vicky, Sara and Aditya had also agreed that the film should be delayed until things got back to normal.
Ronnie Screwvala said in a statement that the film has been shelved and not delayed given that the investment will not provide guaranteed returns in current times. The statement added that the script of the film is ready was crossing the Rs 200 crore mark, while the investment cap was Rs 125 crore for the project.
"In the last draft of the script, the ambition of the movie and the budget did not match and the overall uncertainty fueled by COVID, did not help. So all of us - Aditya (Dhar), Vicky (Kaushal) and I - decided that we need to put this back for another six to nine months. Sara (Ali Khan, the leading lady), also agreed. We will have to work more on the budget and circle back when things look better overall for the magnum opus which 'Ashwathama' is being planned as," the statement said shared by Koimoi.
Meanwhile, Vicky Kaushal will be seen in the Sardar Udham Singh biopic, the Sam Manekshaw biopic titled Sam Bahadur and helmed by Meghna Gulzar, and the film Mr Lele. On the other hand, Sara Ali Khan will be seen in Aanand L Rai's Atrangi Re alongside Dhanush and Akshay Kumar.
