Ahead of the teaser launch for Adipurush, the team of the film — lead stars Prabhas and Kriti Sanon along with filmmaker Om Raut — shared the experience of making the highly anticipated feature, and what the audience can expect from it.
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‘Baahubali’ Prabhas confessed he was scared. The superstar, who is headlining the upcoming mythological epic Adipurush, on Sunday said when he was offered to play the titular part of Lord Ram, he was “frightened.” The film is an adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana.
In the Om Raut directorial, Prabhas plays Lord Ram while Saif Ali Khan stars as the antagonist Lankesh. During the grand teaser launch of Adipurush in Ayodhya, Prabhas said he was seeking blessings for the much-anticipated project.
“We are here to take Lord Ram’s blessings for Adipurush. I was really frightened to do this character. I called up Om after three days and said if I make some mistake… With a lot of love, respect and fear we did this film. May Lord Ram bless us,” Prabhas said.
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Actor Kriti Sanon, who stars as Sita in the film, said she feels fortunate to have been offered an opportunity to play the part. “I consider myself fortunate because very few actors get a chance to be a part of such a film, to play a part like this. I got it quite early in my life. I really want to thank Bhushan sir and Om that they considered me able for Janki.”
Calling it a “memorable role”, Kriti Sanon said there are some characters one gets attached to and her role in Adipurush was one such. “I remember the last day of my shoot; I was very emotional because I didn’t want to leave the part. It’s been a dream experience. I just hope I don’t disappoint you all. I hope you like me. We have all read, seen and known these characters. We worship them.
“Of course, we all have grown up listening to the story (of Ramayana) from our elders but we always remember a visual memory, of seeing something on screen. So, I think kids and families should go and watch this film. It’s a very important part of our history and everyone should know about it. Also, the way Om has presented it, I am sure you all will have a great experience watching it,” she added.
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Director Om Raut, who had previously led Ajay Devgn starrer Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior to a blockbuster status, said Adipurush is not just a film but a passion project for the entire crew. “I am here as a devotee, on this pious land of Ayodhya. Adipurush is not just a film, it’s a symbol of devotion. Adipurush is a mission, a passion for all of us. We have tried the best from our end and hope you all appreciate it,” the filmmaker said.
Producer and T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar recalled the devotional connect of his father late Gulshan Kumar and said Adipurush is his dream come true. “Everybody is aware of my late father’s faith in devotion, Lord Ram… My father’s dream is coming true today and that’s why, when Om told me that he wanted to make nothing else but a film on Lord Ram, on Ramayana after Tanhaji, I didn’t take a second to say yes.
“This is not mine but my father’s dream coming true and I am extremely happy about it. My father would be very happy seeing this. Hats off to everyone,” Bhushan Kumar said.
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The grand launch event was at Ram ki Paidi, on the banks of river Sarayu in Ayodhya and witnessed the unveiling of a 50-feet poster of the film, which emerged from water. Saif Ali Khan and Sunny Singh, who features as Lakshman in Adipurush, were not present for the launch.
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Billed as one of the biggest films of recent times, Adipurush will have a wide release on January 12 across multiple languages— Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada. The film will also be presented in 3D and IMAX.
Prabhas is returning after two big-budget failures, including Saaho and Radhe Shyam, while Saif was last seen in the crime thriller Vikram Vedha. On the other hand, Kriti Sanon is still riding a wave of success after winning praise for her performance in Mimi. Hence, much hope is pinned on Om Raut’s mythological drama.
Adipurush continues SS Rajamouli’s RRR and Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra’s newfound tradition as the latest big-budget Indian film that draws from Hindu mythology and culture.
Saif had earlier praised the visual scope of the film in a 2021 interview to Bollywood Hungama. He said that it was a ‘surreal’ experience to act scenes from classic literature and considered it an honour to be a part of the film. He had said, “The fact is you’re doing some really famous scenes which have been already watched by millions and are even very famous in Indian literature. So, I must say to actually get the chance to enact those scenes is very surreal. We’ve worked really hard on the look and the kind of visuals that the director has come up with is one of a kind. There are some scenes in the film which have never been seen before on our screens. It is just a real honour to be a part of such a great project.” He added that he was sure that the audience would love the film.
Adipurush will be released in several languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada as well.