Imagine being cast in a highly anticipated film, only to have it shelved indefinitely. That's exactly what happened to Suniel Shetty, who recently revealed he was 'signed' for Aditya Dhar's ambitious project, The Immortal Ashwatthama. But here's where it gets controversial—while the film never saw the light of day, Shetty's candid reflections on the experience and his thoughts on Dhar's other works have sparked intriguing conversations in the industry.
In a heartfelt interview with Lehren Retro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDN4wNdVeJ0), Shetty opened up about his missed opportunity in The Immortal Ashwatthama, a film that was set to star Vicky Kaushal in the lead. 'I was to play a role in Aditya's Ashwatthama,' Shetty shared. 'Everything was finalized, but then it got shelved. When I watched Dhurandhar, I thought, 'I wish I could have been a part of it.'** This sentiment highlights the bittersweet reality of the film industry, where even the most promising projects can fall through.
Shetty didn't stop at expressing regret; he went on to lavish praise on Dhar's Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, which was a box office hit after its release in December last year. And this is the part most people miss—while many applauded Akshaye Khanna's performance, Shetty argued that Dhar and Singh were the real standouts. 'Akshaye's character had all the bells and whistles—background score, larger-than-life portrayal,' Shetty explained. 'But Ranveer? He had none of that. Yet, he shone through sheer talent, building his character from the ground up—physically, visually, and emotionally.'
Shetty's admiration for Dhurandhar extended to its director, Aditya Dhar, whose understanding of modern audiences he found remarkable. 'People question the length of a three-hour, forty-minute film today,' Shetty noted. 'But Dhar knew post-pandemic viewers are accustomed to binge-watching. He essentially said, 'If you’re going to watch a web series, why not experience it on the big screen? I’ll give you something even better.' And he delivered!** This bold approach raises a thought-provoking question: Are filmmakers like Dhar redefining the cinematic experience, or are they pushing audiences beyond their comfort zones?
The Immortal Ashwatthama, announced in 2020, was envisioned as a mythological superhero action film. However, it was later shelved due to what Dhar described as its 'too big' scope for Indian cinema. During the trailer launch of Article 370 in 2024, Dhar admitted, 'The kind of vision we had, the VFX quality we aimed for—nobody has even attempted it here. It was impossible to make within our budget constraints.' Is Indian cinema ready for such ambitious projects, or are we limiting ourselves by not investing in groundbreaking technology?
As Aditya Dhar gears up for the release of Dhurandhar 2 on March 19, Shetty's reflections remind us of the untold stories behind the scenes. What do you think? Was The Immortal Ashwatthama a missed opportunity for Indian cinema, or was it a practical decision to shelve it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
