UAE businessman BR Shetty still eager to make ‘Mahabarat’
Mohanlal-led film has been riddled in litigation following a fall-out between the makers
UAE businessman BR Shetty has refused to give up on his dream of reviving his ambitious fantasy movie project ‘Mahabarat’, riddled in litigation.
A fall-out between celebrated author MT Vasudevan Nair and film director Shri Kumar Menon has resulted in an inordinate delay in kicking off his Mohanlal-led fantasty adventure production.
Producer Shetty now wants to revive the project with a brand new script writer, cast and team. He’s done waiting.
In an interview with Gulf News tabloid! on May 28, Shetty said he has enlisted the help of spiritual leader Sadhguru to get his new project off the ground.
“I want him to suggest someone to write a new script for my film… I don’t want to be involved in the legal matters between Shrikumar Menon and MT Vasudevan Nair. I have distanced myself already… But for the new project I will get all the necessary permissions from the BJP, RSS… I don’t want any more problems now. The film will be shot in Abu Dhabi like we planned,” said Shetty.
Asked if Mohanlal would play the role of Bheem for his newly revived project, he said it’s too early to finalise the cast.
“I don’t know yet… We have not selected any actors as of now. Right now, I am focussed on getting the story approved,” said Shetty.
According to news reports, Nair handed over the screenplay of his novel to producer Shetty three years ago, but was frustrated with the lack of progress on the movie based on ‘Randamoozham’, the Malayalam novel penned by MT Vasudevan Nair in 1984.
But producer Shetty claims that the problem is between the director and the author of the text who are fighting the matter in court.