Vicky Kaushal and Aditya Dhar to begin work on their next project in March

Actor Vicky Kaushal might have to wait until next year for a reunion with director Aditya Dhar for their upcoming fantasy film based on the legend of Ashwatthama. Reports suggest that while Dhar has begun a soft prep on the project, the real work will only begin in 2020. 

A report in the daily Mumbai Mirror stated that the film will be shot on a start-to-finish schedule across locations such as New Zealand, Japan, Namibia and Greenland.

Director Dhar confirmed, "Soft prep began two months ago while formal prep will start in a fortnight. We will shoot the entire film in a start-to-finish schedule and have shortisted Greenland, Tokyo, New Zealand and Namibia as locations. I will be collaborating with teams from all over the world on the action. The entire post-production, including the VFX, will be done in the US." 

The film will mark Dhar's second project with Vicky Kaushal, after their successful collaboration for Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019). Uri went on to become a surprise hit at the box office earlier this year, besides earning critical acclaim and winning a few National awards. 

Their next, based on the legend of Ashwatthama from the Mahabharata, is a fictional tale set in modern times. The report quoted Dhar as saying that Kaushal will have to undergo a physical transformation for the role, like he did for Uri.

"Like in Uri, Vicky has to gain an incredible amount of weight, but this time, he will also have to lose it all during the course of the filming," the director said. "His look will come as a complete surprise to all." 

Kaushal is currently on schedule to begin work on Karan Johar's period epic Takht (2020). The actor also has the horror franchise, Bhoot: The Haunted Ship and a biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw in the pipeline.