EXCLUSIVE: V. Shantaram biopic starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Tamannaah Bhatia pushed to 2027; director reveals reason for delay

In December, the biopic of legendary filmmaker V.

Shantaram was officially announced, with Dhadak 2 actor Siddhant Chaturvedi starring in the lead role.

Later, Tamannaah Bhatia also joined the cast in the role of Shantaram's second wife and actress Jayashree.

Produced by Rahul Kiran Shantaram, Subhash Kale and Sarita Ashwin Varde, the film was scheduled to commence shooting in April 2026, but it hasn't gone on floors even after four months, leading to speculation that the project might have been shelved.

Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, the film's director, Abhijeet Shirish Deshpande, has clarified that the V.

Shantaram biopic is very much on track and production has instead been moved to 2027.

“We had initially planned an April shoot and planned to go indoors after rains.

But we were delayed by two months, and then the whole schedule went haywire.

Now with the fresh dates, we are planning to shoot next year with a few more big names in the casting apart from Sidharth and Tamannaah,” the filmmaker revealed.

The makers are now aiming to commence its shooting in April 2027.

The revised schedule has been planned in a way that will allow the team to complete outdoor sequences first and then utilize the monsoon period for interior shoots.

The film chronicles Shantaram’s remarkable journey from the silent era through the advent of sound and color, showcasing his evolution as one of India’s most influential filmmakers.

Shantaram is known for directing memorable films in Hindi and Marathi, including Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), Dr.

Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Amar Bhoopali (1951), and Pinjara (1971).