Overview

• Rai confirmed on July 23 that his long-gestating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj biopic starring Shahid Kapoor has been officially shelved.
• The director said he spent five years developing the script only to face entrenched practices in casting, star management and financing.
• Despite OMG 2’s ₹180 crore success, Rai argued that commercial credibility was insufficient to overcome industry gatekeepers.
• In response, he is self-producing his next film, Dharma, enlisting Hungarian cinematographer Máté Herbai and action specialist Isaac Hamon.
• Pankaj Tripathi remains attached to Dharma, and Rai said Akshay Kumar has also expressed interest in collaborating.