The Immortal Ashwatthama first look: Vicky Kaushal leads the charge in a dystopian future

Vicky Kaushal looks ready to lead the way in the upcoming dystopian sci-fi feature The Immortal Ashwatthama, written and directed by Aditya Dhar.

The project will see Kaushal reunite with Dhar, producer Ronnie Screwvala and the team behind the National Award-winning Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019).  

The actor plays the lead character who wields of a trident-like weapon that emits a blue force. He stands atop a broken robotic hand, surveying the futuristic landscape ahead of him.

The mood of this first look is ominous with tall skyscrapers and flying cars dotting the scenery. The buildings have words in various languages and one features the word ‘Maya’ in a hybrid of the Latin and Devanagari scripts.

Another poster has Kaushal in front of a large idol of Shiva raising a sword that emits that same blue energy.

Inspired by the Mahabharata, The Immortal Ashwatthama has been in the works for a while now, with Kaushal and Dhar announcing their plans to reunite after the success of Uri.

In a report in Hollywood magazine Variety, Screwvala stated, “Language is not a barrier for this movie. I can’t wait to see Aditya’s vision translate to this spectacle on screen. I have to say this is by far the most ambitious movie I have attempted and we would love to see this one reach out to the widest audiences in India and around the world.”

Dhar said the makers were working hard to create an unprecedented visual spectacle. "I promise, this would not just be a film, but an experience. I am taking this film as a responsibility of telling this epic story, in the way it is meant to be told, and I hope, audiences shower the same love to Ashwatthama, as they did to Uri," he said.

Meanwhile, Kaushal shared that he was keen to begin working on the project. “Ashwatthama is Aditya’s dream project and it required the backing of a visionary like Ronnie to bring this spectacle to audiences. It’s going to be a new space for me as an actor, exploring the newest form of technology alongside acting.”

Last year, it was hinted that shooting for the film would begin in April 2021, but the makers haven’t confirmed the dates yet.