From Ramyana to Mahabharat, Bollywood is again gearing up to explore the mythology space.
Boasting of whopping 300-350 crore budgets, these upcoming mythological movies will make the magic come alive on screen again!
1) Adipurush
This Om Raut directorial is one of the most highly anticipated mythological movies of late. Based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, it features South Superstar Prabhas in the titular role of Adipurush (Lord Ram) while Saif Ali Khan will be essaying the role of the antagonist Lankesh (Ravan). As per recent reports Kriti Sanon has been roped in to play the role of Sita.
The film reportedly is being made on a budget of Rs 450 crores. Adipurush will be shot in Hindi and Telugu, and will release in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada as well. It is scheduled to release on August 11, 2022.
2) The Immortal Ashwatthama
Vicky Kaushal is all set to essay the titular role in the superhero action trilogy ‘The Immortal Ashwatthama’. Directed by Aditya Dhar, it is being billed as the modern-day retelling of the mythological Mahabharat character ‘Ashwatthama’; the son of Dronacharya who was given the boon of immortality.
Ashwatthama had a gem embedded on his forehead which gave him power over all living beings lower than humans, protecting him from hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The handsome hunk Vicky reportedly has to weigh more than 100 kgs for this role! He is busy prepping with mixed martial arts, jujutsu and krav maga, horse riding and spear fighting.
Latest reports state that Vicky’s leading lady for the film is Sara Ali Khan.
3) Ram Setu
Bollywood’s Khiladi – Akshay Kumar too announced a mythology-based movie on the auspicious occasion of Diwali this year.
The action hero will be seen in the Abhishek Sharma directorial ‘Ram Setu’. The Ramayana epic mentions that the Ram Setu bridge was built to connect the tip of southern India to Lanka (present-day Sri Lanka) by an army of monkeys who were assisting Ram in rescuing his wife Sita from Ravan.
It is believed that the bridge was made with stones that could float on water because Lord Ram’s name was inscribed on them. Looks like Akshay’s movie will be bringing the Ram Setu debate of ‘Myth vs Reality’ to the big screen. He appears to be playing either a researcher or an archaeologist in the movie.
4) Deepika Padukone’s Mahabharat from Draupadi’s POV
Mahabharat will again be told on the big screen but this time from the perspective of one of the most powerful figures in the epic – Draupadi.
The diva Deepika Padukone will be essaying the titular role of Draupadi in the movie. She has teamed up with producer Madhu Mantena and will be co-producing the film too.
Talking about this fresh take on the mythological tale, the actress had commented – “I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to be essaying the role of Draupadi. I truly believe that it is the role of a lifetime. While the Mahabharat is popularly known for its mythological tales and cultural influence, many of life’s lessons are also derived from the Mahabharat but most often from its men. Telling it with this fresh and new perspective will not only be interesting but also very significant.”
The film is supposed to be a multi-part franchise.
5) Brahmastra
Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Brahmastra’ too has its roots in Hindu Mythology. Brahmastra was the supernatural celestial weapon which was created by Lord Brahma and was used in the epic historical battle of Mahabharata.
Directed by Ayan Mukerji, this upcoming movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna Akkineni in pivotal roles. It has been planned as a trilogy, and the first part will revolve around a powerful weapon named ‘Brahmastra’ which has been broken and scattered in multiple parts of India.
Ranbir plays Shiva who finds the special fire power within him to find this weapon, while Alia plays Isha who aids him in his adventurous journey. Amitabh Bachchan plays Shiva’s Guru and Nagarjuna plays an archaeologist who is restoring an ancient temple in Varanasi.
Mouni Roy and Saurav Gurjar are to play the antagonists who are also on the hunt for the same weapon. Shah Rukh Khan will be playing a scientist who will help Ranbir Kapoor’s character.
Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Brahmastra was not able to meet its 2020 release date, and will instead release in 2021.