Here's why Aditya Dhar shelved 'The Immortal Ashwatthama': 'The kind of VFX quality...'

Following the success of ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike,’ director Aditya Dhar had ambitious plans for his next project titled ‘The Immortal Ashwatthama.’ Speculation was rife about actors like Vicky Kaushal or Allu Arjun being considered for the titular role. Despite rumors of the film being in pre-production, it never materialized.

However, at the launch of the trailer for ‘Article 370,’ Aditya Dhar provided a long-awaited update on the status of ‘The Immortal Ashwatthama.’

Aditya said, ‘We have put that on the back burner 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. Until the technology becomes affordable or cinema halls increase, we’ll have to wait.’

Drawing parallels with James Cameron's approach, Aditya Dhar emphasized the importance of waiting for the right conditions to develop before embarking on a project.

‘Even he waited for the market to grow, for the tech to come to the 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,’ he said.

About Aditya’s work

Aditya Dhar, who achieved acclaim by winning the National Film Award for Best Director for his debut film ‘Uri: The Strike,’ has ventured into writing and producing with his latest project titled ‘Article 370.’ The film is directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and features Yami Gautam, Priyamani as part of the cast. The trailer for ‘Article 370’ was unveiled recently, with the film scheduled to hit screens on February 23.

During the trailer launch, Aditya Dhar and Yami Gautam shared the joyful news of their impending parenthood. Additionally, Aditya is currently involved in another project titled ‘Dhoom Dhaam,’ which he is both writing and producing. This film is currently in the post-production phase.