When Aditya Dhar announced The Immortal Ashwatthama with Vicky Kaushal in 2020, it instantly became a highly anticipated project, thanks to its ambitious scale. The leading man, who was as excited at the prospect of the sci-fi epic as the director, had blocked out dates and begun physical prep. But after repeated delays over three years, Jio Studios and RSVP Movies put the film on the backburner due to its high cost. Has it dampened Dhar’s spirit? “I’ll start by saying it’s a story I will make some day,” smiles the director.      
 
With the part mythological, part sci-fi movie, the filmmaker wanted to offer his vision of Ashwatthama, a prominent character in the Mahabharata. He, however, understands that it could be viewed as a commercially unviable project in the current market. “This film is massive, it needs finesse. I want it to have the kind of quality that no one has ever attempted in India. I don’t want to cut corners or compromise. I’m not okay settling for lower quality. Main apne kaam ke saath dhoka nahin kar sakta,” states Dhar, who has now moved on to his next, Dhoom Dhaam.