Brahmastra director Ayan Mukerji claims film is ‘genuinely new’ and he knew it would not be an easy journey

Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Mouni Roy are among the actors who appear in the film.

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Brahmastra Part One Shiva Ayan Mukherji's dream project, is slated to be released in September this year, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Mouni Roy. The filmmaker is overjoyed that his project is finally being released after such a long wait of five years. The film was again delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview with ETimes, the filmmaker discussed the difficulties he had while working on his ideal project. According to the director, he imagined how challenging the venture would be because it was a foreign concept and unique approach. "I felt I was on to something pioneering, innovative, and original, it is genuinely new," he said.

The filmmaker also mentioned how much time he invested into this film and how, after a while, he forgotten which type of individual he was. "It took so long. It was such a crazy investment of time that, in a way, it obliterated who I was. It has been 10 years since my last film. I have forgotten who I was as a person before," he said to the daily.

Ayan also realised that if he needed it to deliver, a large project like Brahmastra required the commitment of time and patience, both of which he provided. "I will understand a lot once we deliver the project. But this was the kind of project that needed (time)," he added.

Ayan went on to say that he wanted to create a new cinematic universe similar to Marvel or The Lord of the Rings, but in an unique format that the Indian viewers can relate to. Ayan hopes that Brahmastra Part One Shiva, one of the first in a creatively new film franchise, shall likewise create the ‘Astraverse’ world.

Also read: Brahmastra director Ayan Mukerji says Ranbir Kapoor-led film is not an end in itself, but a means to a larger end

Filmmaker continued on why he opted for such an elevated genre. According to Ayan, such films require significant finance, but his love of mythology drove him to undertake such a project. He said as a child, he loved reading books such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter that spawned film franchises later and became commercially successful at the box office worldwide.

The director addded that he wanted to do something similar in India with a concept that everyone can relate to. As he himself enjoys listening to Indian mythological stories, he decided to combine the elements of myth and sci-fi to create his ‘Astraverse’. "There was a great opportunity because nobody had done that before, maybe because of us not being that comfortable with working with technology, not having the budget," Ayan added.

Ayan signed off by praising his actors like Amitabh Bachchan who trusted the concept as much as he did. Ranbir Kapoor will portray the primary role Shiva, a person with mystical powers, while Alia Bhatt will play his love interest in this film. Nagarjuna Akkineni and Mouni Roy will also appear in this flick.

The first trailer for the film will be released on June 15. The film will be released in theatres on September 9, 2022 in five languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

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