Why Karan Johar shelved Ranveer, Vicky, Alia, Janhvi's 'Takht'
Why Karan Johar shelved Ranveer, Vicky, Alia, Janhvi's 'Takht'
Actor Mahir Pandhi recently opened up about the real reason behind Karan Johar's ambitious project, Takht, being shelved.
The historical drama was set to star Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, and Janhvi Kapoor.
In an interview with Mid-Day, Pandhi, who was also supposed to be part of the film, revealed that coordinating the dates of such a large ensemble cast became nearly impossible after the COVID-19 pandemic.
'It became extremely difficult to bring together so many actors'
Pandhi said, "Takht was not a normal film. It was Mr. Yash Johar's last dream project and had a historic connection to it."
"When you write a script based on history, you can't change the facts. Once COVID happened, it became extremely difficult to bring together so many actors and align their dates," he added.
"Even if you wanted to plan it two years later, it would have been impossible to get the entire cast together," stated Pandhi.
How 'Takht' shelving affected Pandhi
Pandhi spoke about how Takht's shelving affected him. He said, "If you make Takht today, you would have to rewrite the script from scratch because the audience has changed."
"I was almost living that dream. I was being invited to parties, and they made me feel welcome. I was made to feel like a part of the film."
"Only I know how difficult it was to accept the fact that a Dharma film was not going to happen for me."
More about 'Takht'
The period drama was set against the backdrop of a power struggle in the Mughal Empire during Emperor Shah Jahan's final years.
The story was expected to revolve around the conflict between princes Alamgir (later Aurangzeb) and Dara Shikoh for the throne.
Johar had famously described it as "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in medieval times," a statement that drew mixed reactions.
Why was 'Takht' never revived?
The film, reportedly mounted on a budget of ₹250 crore, was set to go into production in March 2020 and hit theaters in December 2021.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought production to a standstill, and despite rumors of its revival, the project never took off.