Why has Shahid Kapoor's Shivaji biopic collapsed? 'OMG 2' director Amit Rai reveals

Bollywood enthusiasts who were eagerly waiting to see Shahid Kapoor step into the shoes of the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will have to wait longer, or perhaps let go of the hope entirely. The much-anticipated biopic, helmed by OMG 2 director Amit Rai, has reportedly been shelved, leaving both the filmmaker and fans disappointed.

In a candid conversation with Mid-Day, Amit Rai didn’t hold back his frustration. Despite the critical and commercial success of OMG 2, which collected over Rs. 180 crore, Rai revealed that breaking into the mainstream system remains a daunting task for directors.

“You live with a story for five years,” he shared emotionally, “and within minutes, someone reads a five-page note and tells you what’s right and wrong with it.” For Rai, the experience has been disheartening enough to push him towards becoming a producer. He said he now realises that producing his own films might be the only way forward in a system where directors often have little control.

Rai also revealed that while Pankaj Tripathi was attached to the biopic, other actors showed interest too. Notably, Akshay Kumar had asked why the film wasn’t offered to him. But, as Rai put it bluntly, “An actor will only pick a project if it guarantees box office returns.”

Highlighting the unpredictability of casting decisions, Rai mentioned how many actors weren’t truly committed to socially relevant stories. “They’d say no to a film that talks about truth, and when I brought a love story, they’d say it’s too expensive or too grand. The goalpost kept shifting,” he said.

As for Shahid Kapoor, the actor was last seen in Deva opposite Pooja Hegde. Up next, he’s gearing up for Arjun Ustara, an action-packed thriller expected to release later this year, where he will share screen with Triptii Dimri and will be helmed by Vishal Bharadwaj.

While fans may have lost out on a potentially powerful period film, Amit Rai’s words shine a light on the challenges filmmakers face in bringing meaningful stories to life in an industry often driven by commercial math.