What's next for Aditya Dhar: 'Ashwatthama' or historical epic?
What's the story
After the historic box-office success of the Dhurandhar franchise, all eyes are on director Aditya Dhar's next project. Although he has not officially announced any new film yet, Variety India reports that he is considering three scripts for his fourth film. These include The Immortal Ashwatthama, a historical epic set during Chandragupta Maurya's reign, and an ambitious sports drama.
Dream project
Dhar might finally revive 'Ashwatthama'
A source told Variety India, "The Immortal Ashwatthama remains a dream project for Aditya, and he has always expressed his wish to revive it at some point. "He spent lots of time and effort developing that high-tech mythological epic before it was shelved for being too expensive." "Now that Aditya has proved himself as a bankable director and studios are more willing to back his ambitious vision, he might look back on reviving it."
Historical epic
Dhar also considering a historical epic
Another source close to Dhar revealed that he is more inclined toward a historical epic set during Maurya's reign. "It's a space that hasn't been explored yet. You have the same emotions of high drama, action, treachery, etc. And it can be an interesting space." "Its canvas is big, and if Ashwatthama is not happening, this is the most obvious one." Ranveer Singh is likely to lead this project.
Post-success plans
Sports drama also in the works
Dhar is also said to have a sports drama in the ideation stage, though details are scarce. The source said, "Aditya is not going into another film so immediately after Dhurandhar 2." "He will take a break; he deserves that after spending three extensive years on one film. It's too early to say which project he eventually takes up, but what's certain is that his next film will be much bigger in scale and ambition."
Box office success
'Dhurandhar 2' is heading toward ₹1,000cr mark
Meanwhile, Dhurandhar 2 has crossed the ₹900cr mark at the Indian box office and is now heading toward the historic ₹1,000cr milestone. This achievement is unprecedented for a Hindi film and reportedly makes it the biggest Bollywood grosser of all time. The film's success has further solidified Dhar's reputation as a bankable director in the industry.