Audiences attending the Diwali blockbuster Thamma were first greeted by a 60-second announcement for Shakti Shalini, confirming Aneet Padda in the starring role and a December 24, 2026 release date. This marked a shift from the original plans for Mahavatar, the Vicky Kaushal-led epic directed by Amar Kaushik under Maddock Films’ banner—the same studio behind Thamma, where Amar serves as producer and mentor. Speaking exclusively with Bollywood Hungama, Amar discussed Mahavatar and explained why it represents his most ambitious undertaking yet.
Addressing the production timeline change, Amar Kaushik confirmed, “Yes, we’ve pushed it back. Pre-production alone requires 6-7 months. Even thinking about it scares me. We’ve been developing everything—set designs, weaponry, character appearances. The script is complete, but we need additional preparation time. Vicky needs to wrap his current projects before beginning his own prep work. We’re targeting a mid-2026 filming start.”
Amar explained his deep personal connection to the project: “This is an incredibly meaningful film for me. Growing up in Arunachal Pradesh, there was a Parshuram Kund nearby. When I’d ask my mother about Parshuram, she’d discourage discussion, only mentioning his fierce temper. That mystique captivated me. Later research left me amazed, wondering if I’d ever have the opportunity to bring this story to screen. Now I’ve reached a point where I understand VFX capabilities and have the experience to execute this vision.”
The timing follows Amar’s success with Stree 2 (2024), Bollywood’s highest-grossing film ever. Did that achievement influence Dinesh Vijan’s confidence in assigning such a massive project? Amar responded, “Absolutely. Without proving yourself, why would anyone trust you with such responsibility? When you have big dreams, you need to achieve smaller ones first (smiles). Honestly, I wouldn’t have attempted this earlier in my career. Even now, it terrifies me!”RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
