Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji says he plans to simultaneously work on the two-part follow-up to his blockbuster film Brahmastra. He also confirmed that the second chapter to Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's fantasy adventure drama will come out in 2026.
"Brahmastra two and three are going to be made together. This is something I hadn't figured out when we released part one. The truth is we are going to take a little bit of time to write it. I know there is a lot of anticipation. People want the film to come out (soon). But first, we have to write it without compromising it. I think it will be about three years from now before we see Brahmastra two on the big screen," Mukerji said at the News 18 Rising India Summit 2023.
Titled Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, the first film was a big-budget fantasy adventure epic that came out in 2022. The story followed a deejay named Shiva (Kapoor), who sets out on a journey to find the origins of his special powers with Isha (Bhatt), a woman he falls in love with at first sight.
Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan also featured in the movie, produced by Star Studios and Dharma Productions, with special appearances by Shah Rukh Khan and Nagarjuna.
At the event on Thursday, the 39-year-old director said Brahmastra only scratched the surface of the Astraverse concept that he created with the film.
"Brahmastra was a different kind of film, it was a big leap for me because it was a very original concept. Now that it's been a few months since it came out, I feel that we only touched the tip of the iceberg of this concept in Brahmastra.
"Some people, especially young people, have picked up on it. From Brahmastra one, I actually wanted to create the universe of cinema which fits underneath the word Astraverse. What it really is are the stories that are deeply inspired from Indian history as well as bringing that ancient Indian spirituality into the modern world. This combination I want to keep exploring and telling different stories, using it in the way Marvel Studios have so many films under it."
Though Brahmastra Part One: Shiva was successful at the global box office, the film received polarising reviews from critics.