Amish Tripathi rubbishes reports of Ranveer acquiring 'Immortals of Meluha'
What's the story
The possibility of a film adaptation of Amish Tripathi's best-selling novel, The Immortals of Meluha, has once again come into the limelight. This comes after reports claimed that Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh had acquired the rights to adapt the book into a trilogy. Follow-up reports suggested Singh had locked the deal for a whopping ₹40 crore. However, Tripathi has clarified that these rumors are not true and he still holds the rights to his Shiva trilogy.
Author's statement
'Nothing has been signed with anyone as yet'
Speaking to Variety India, Tripathi said, "The rights for the Shiva Trilogy are with me. And nothing has been signed with anyone as yet." He added, "Of course, I have huge respect for Ranveer and am a big fan of his. But this news is not true." The Immortals of Meluha is the first book in Tripathi's popular Shiva trilogy.
Book synopsis
About 'The Immortals of Meluha'
The Immortals of Meluha is set in the land of Meluha, a near-perfect empire based on the Indus Valley Civilization. The story follows Shiva, a Tibetan tribal chief who becomes the prophesied Neelkanth (savior) in this empire. As he joins forces with the Suryavanshi rulers against their enemies, the Chandravanshis and the Nagas, he discovers his potential as a leader and defender against evil.
Adaptation history
Previous attempts to adapt 'Meluha'
The Immortals of Meluha was first set to be adapted into a film by Karan Johar, directed by Karan Malhotra. However, the project was shelved due to fears of backlash over an Indian God being depicted on screen. Later, Sanjay Leela Bhansali acquired the rights, but that too didn't move forward. In 2022, Tripathi announced plans for a web series adaptation with Shekhar Kapur and Suparn Varma, but it also didn't materialize.