Even as ‘Stree 3’ is currently being written, word is that Shraddha Kapoor has been approached by director Amar Kaushik and production house Maddock Films to headline another of their movies, ‘Mahavatar’. We’ve heard that the actor is the top choice to play the female lead opposite Vicky Kaushal, who portrays Parashurama in the mythological epic.

Discussions with Kapoor are said to be underway. If things work out, Kaushik will take the project — easily one of the most ambitious rolled by the banner — on floors after June.

A source told mid-day, “Shraddha fits the brief perfectly. The team was keen on someone who brings star value and presence. Plus, the Vicky-Shraddha pairing will be fresh, and the makers are confident this combination will resonate with the audience.”

mid-day reached out to Kapoor, who didn’t respond till press time.

When filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali sets his mind on something, he refuses to settle for anything less than perfection — and perfection takes time. Since his ambitious period saga Love & War was announced in January 2024, the film has stayed in the news — not just for its star-studded cast of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, but also for its persistent delays.

Originally slated for a March release this year, the film remains incomplete. Bhansali recently shared that only 10 per cent of the shoot is pending. However, scheduling conflicts loom at large. “Ranbir has Ramayana: Part Two, and Vicky has Mahavatar in the line-up. Nitesh Tiwari wants to wrap up the second part to begin post-production, because July onwards time will be dedicated to the promotions of Ramayana: Part One,” says a source.

Kaushal, who was expected to bulk up for Mahavatar, but was busy with Love & War shoots all through 2025, has now finally set that plan in motion. As a result, Love & War will only resume filming in the second half of 2026, adds the source.

What remains? The climax. Despite a recent health scare, Bhansali is determined to meet the January 2027 deadline. “He has been working non-stop for the last two years. The team is reworking timelines. Post-production is progressing alongside to save time. Sanjay is certain that the film will release on schedule and exactly how he envisioned it,” another insider reveals.

If Chhaava (2025) was any indication, Vicky Kaushal slips effortlessly into larger-than-life characters. Now, another ambitious role is waiting for him. We’ve heard that Mahavatar — which will see the actor play Chiranjeevi Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu — will go on floors in October. That’s eight months away, and for good reason. The actor needs to build a bulky physique for the mythological epic that will be directed by Amar Kaushik of Stree fame.

Considering the epic is mounted on a grand scale, its pre-production has already begun. But it will be a while before Kaushal immerses himself in its world.

A source told mid-day, “The actor cannot begin his physical prep as he is currently shooting Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, in which he sports an athletic look. For Mahavatar, he will need to build a heavy frame like that of a wrestler, complete with a rugged look and long, matted hair. After Love & War reaches the finish line in April, the actor will adopt a new diet plan and workout regime to attain the required look.”

Given his distinct look for the epic, it’s unlikely that Kaushal will sign any new projects while filming it.

Producer Dinesh Vijan and the director are using this time to build the mythological drama’s world. The source added, “The DoP [Director of Photography], art, production, and costume design teams have begun soft prep. The hunt for the leading lady, who will play Dharini, is underway. The rumour of Deepika Padukone being the female lead was baseless.”

In the last week of November, Deepika Padukone was spotted at Maddock Films’ office in Santacruz, Mumbai. Her appearance intensified the industry chatter that the actor is set to join the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. But sources now indicate that she is, instead, in early conversations to star opposite Vicky Kaushal in ‘Mahavatar’.

Centred on the immortal warrior Parashurama, director Amar Kaushik’s ambitious mythological epic was announced in November 2024. Even as the project is in pre-production, casting for the female lead has remained one of its most closely guarded decisions.

A production insider told mid-day, “The team has been looking for someone who can bring gravitas and emotional depth to the role written opposite Parashurama. Deepika fits that space perfectly. Conversations have begun, but they are still at an early stage. She is among the top names the studio has engaged with.”

Even as the mythological drama focuses on the story of Parashurama, it is heard that the female lead will have a strong character graph. “Amar Kaushik has been clear from the beginning that the character must have equal footing in the narrative,” added the source. If the talks result in a deal, this will be Padukone’s first collaboration with leading man Kaushal.

mid-day reached out to Vijan, who didn’t respond till press time.

Horror comedy, aerial actioner, mythological drama—each genre is far removed from the other. But each of them finds a place in writer Niren Bhatt’s filmography. Only months after displaying his command over horror comedies with Munjya (2024) and Stree 2 (2024), Bhatt delivered the aerial actioner, Sky Force, last week. While the Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya-starrer receives positive reviews, the writer has moved on to his next, the mythological drama, Mahavatar, starring Vicky Kaushal. “It is a new genre for us,” begins Bhatt.

That telling the story of Chiranjeevi Parashurama on the big screen will be an immense responsibility for director Amar Kaushik and him is not lost on him. Bhatt says, “It tells the story of Bhagwan Parashurama, who was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. There are lots of references from Bhagavata Purana and 11 other scriptures. There are ancient texts that you can read in libraries, but people don’t read them. They are used mostly for pujas.”

One would think there is nothing common between Sky Force and Mahavatar. But the writer says that though the worlds are dramatically different, each film demands rigorous research. “We did intense research on the Armed Forces to get everything right. Similarly, when you are writing a mythological film, you need to [be accurate]. You can’t go wrong with either genre. I have already read ancient plays and 11 novels on Parashurama to get all the details right,” he states. The drama is expected to roll sometime next year.

Sky Force is based on India’s first airstrike on Pakistan in the 1965 war. As the film’s additional screenplay and dialogue writer, Bhatt says he dived deep into the historic chapter, taking extra care to portray the real-life heroes with authenticity.

“This film is tricky to write as it is about an [Air Force officer] who went missing in action. When you are writing about the Armed Forces, you need to focus on every [little aspect]—from the jargon to the body language, and the code of conduct. For that, we had an Indian Air Force pilot, who fought in the Kargil War, vet our script. When you make a movie on the Armed Forces, you have to get everything validated by them. If you are paying a tribute to the heroes, you cannot go wrong.”