Akshay Kumar is all set to begin his journey for Ram Setu; actor heads to Ayodhya
Actor Akshay Kumar is all set to visit Ayodhya for Ram Setu; read more details.
FollowAfter finishing Bachchan Pandey's schedule, actor Akshay Kumar is all set to start shooting for his next, Ram Setu.
The actor, along with director Abhishek Sharma and creative producer Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, will fly to Ayodhya on March 18 to give the mahurat shot of the film from Ram Janmabhoomi.
The makers will shoot 80 % of the film in Mumbai, according to Abhishek Sharma.
Sharma also reveals that the actor will be seen in a new avatar. "Akshay sir plays an archaeologist, and his look and character are inspired by several Indian and international professional archaeologists who work in the field. In terms of both look and character, Akshay sir's fans are in for a new avatar of his."
Talking about the leading ladies, Jacqueline Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sharma shares, "They both play strong, independent women with well-etched out parts. We are keeping their looks under wraps for now."
Interestingly, Dwivedi came up with the idea of starting the Ram Setu journey in Ayodhya. "What better way to embark upon the journey of Ram Setu than to kick-off at the very birthplace of Lord Ram," he exclaims.
Going on to explain the thought behind picking the location, Dwivedi says, "Having visited Ayodhya several times myself, I suggested to Akshay and the team that we should launch the production schedule with blessings from the holy temple of Lord Ram. We are scheduled to hold our mahurat shot in Ayodhya and commence our filming on an optimistic note."
For Sharma, Ram Setu's journey started back in 2007 when he first read newspaper coverage about a court case related to a project to build a shipping canal in the shallow straits between India and Sri Lanka and the issues project was facing.
He further adds, "I found this to be an opportunity to explore the truth behind an Indian legend and was amazed at the magnitude of the subject. It's like I was being presented with the possibility to bring forward a true story that would connect generations of Indians to a part of our heritage that was not getting the attention it deserved."
"I pitched the first draft of the screenplay to Akshay sir, and he immediately came on-board," he adds.
Sharma expresses gratitude towards Dwivedi for guiding the team in the right direction about the film's research process.
"He has helped us immensely by providing access and perspective to history and religion as well as building a team of researchers with backgrounds in archaeology, history, religion and science, in equal measure," Sharma says, noting that the idea behind "the research process was to gain a comprehensive understanding on the subject and to create a film on this true story that is based on and supported by facts".
Kumar had announced the film on Diwali last year by releasing posters on his social media.
Producer Vikram Malhotra says, "For Ram Setu, there will be strict protocols in place, including travel and stay bio-bubbles, frequent health checks and a professional agency on-board to manage these protocols all through. Given the complexity of the story and ensuing locations, VFX etc., the production will be spread across multiple schedules over the next few months."
Malhotra is taking notes from past experiences to go forward. "Akshay, as well as Abundantia Entertainment, have been fortunate to have completed filming, post-production and even release of several of our productions through the pandemic period. So there is enough learning and experience to manage production with mitigated and controlled Covid-19 related risks."
According to Malhotra, Ram Setu is a story formed on facts, science and historical heritage, "Today, as the younger generation grows curious about its heritage, there has never been a better time to tell stories anchored deep in the cultural fabric of our country," he adds.
Kumar rounds it off by saying, "Ram Setu is a bridge between generations past, present and future".
The film is produced by Aruna Bhatia, Lyca Productions and Vikram Malhotra.
