Vicky Kaushal’s magnum opus, The Immortal Ashwatthama, is having a hard road to realisation. The film, initially slated to roll in 2021, was put on hold due to logistical issues borne out of the pandemic. Earlier this year, Jio Studios came on board to revive the sci-fi epic with roots in mythology.

In August, however, mid-day reported that producer Ronnie Screwvala had downsized the budget of Aditya Dhar’s ambitious directorial venture to under Rs. 200 crores, in the wake of Bollywood’s post-pandemic dry spell (One superhero will decide fate of next, Aug 31).

Now, it is learnt that the producer has exited the project. “We aren’t doing the film anymore. It is with Jio Studios now,” said a source close to Screwvala’s banner RSVP Movies.

Screwvala was attached with the project since its inception, marking his second collaboration with Dhar after their successful Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019). With his exit, sources say the director has stepped up to co-produce his retelling of the journey of Ashwatthama — who had the power of immortality — with Jio Studios. The film, which was originally supposed to star Sara Ali Khan, will now be fronted by Samantha alongside Kaushal.

mid-day reached out to Dhar and the team at Jio Studios, who remained unavailable for comment.