Did ‘Kalki’ Lead to the Shelving of ‘Ashwatthama’?

The much-awaited Bollywood mythological action film ‘Ashwatthama: The Saga’, which was planned with Shahid Kapoor in the lead, has reportedly been shelved. Producer Jackky Bhagnani is said to have revealed that the project will no longer move forward due to factors such as the rising budget and the need for extensive overseas shooting. However, he reportedly also indicated that Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD had an impact on the project. The strong response to Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Ashwatthama reportedly made the makers feel that audiences might expect something fresh rather than another similar story.

Director Aditya Dhar initially planned the film with Vicky Kaushal. After that version did not materialize, efforts were made to develop it with Shahid Kapoor. Around two years ago, the project was announced with Kannada filmmaker Sachin B. Ravi as director, but filming never began. The makers reportedly felt that a fresh story was more important than making a huge investment and decided to put the project aside. However, Kalki 2898 AD was not the sole reason for the decision, with budget concerns, overseas filming and production plans also playing important roles. Meanwhile, reports suggest that more than 60 percent of Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD sequel has already been completed, with director Nag Ashwin reportedly planning a release next year.