As the grungy gangster of Vikram Vedha, Hrithik Roshan displayed his fighting skills on the streets of Lucknow. Now, he has chosen a far more ambitious backdrop to showcase his action prowess — the sky. Over a year since its announcement, the actor is set to kick off the aerial action thriller, Fighter. Sources tell mid-day that come November 18, director Siddharth Anand will call action on the film in Assam.

“Hrithik is scheduled to leave for Assam today. The director has charted out a 10-day schedule in the north-eastern state. The leading man will be joined by co-stars Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor directly at the air force station that has been chosen as the site of the shoot,” reveals a source.

Fighter marks Roshan’s first collaboration with Kapoor and Padukone. While the two leads will be seen as Indian Air Force pilots, sources suggest that the senior actor essays the role of Roshan’s mentor. The leading man is known to painstakingly prep for his movies. Fighter is no exception. The first schedule is preceded by an intense three-month regimen that Roshan undertook to attain a lean physique for the actioner.

The source adds, “The actor began his physical prep in August, and now sports a lithe frame. Along with trainer Kris Gethin, he had set November 9 as his deadline, and has achieved his fitness goal well in time.”

While the first schedule will be wrapped up by November-end, it won’t be until 2023 that the unit will resume work on the movie. Reason — Pathaan. The director will dedicate December, and January 2023 to his passion project, which marks Shah Rukh Khan’s return to the big screen after over four years. It is only after the espionage thriller hits the marquee on January 25 that Anand will focus again on the Roshan-starrer.

Fighter marks the director’s third collaboration with his leads — while Roshan and he delivered hits in Bang Bang (2014) and War (2019), Anand teamed up with Padukone for Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and the upcoming Pathaan.