- Akshay Kumar once regretted not buying the rights to The Immortals of Meluha
- Karan Johar once called adapting The Immortals of Meluha a game-changer for his production
- The Immortals of Meluha is a mythological trilogy by Amish Tripathi
Recent reports about a possible film adaptation of The Immortals of Meluha have sparked fresh buzz online, with speculation claiming Ranveer Singh had secured the rights to the mythological bestseller and would headline a big-budget trilogy as Lord Shiva.
However, author Amish Tripathi has now dismissed those reports, clarifying that no deal has been signed yet.
Amid the renewed chatter around the book, an old video of Akshay Kumar has resurfaced online, where the actor candidly admitted that he once regretted not buying the rights to the novel.
What Did Akshay Kumar Say?
At the launch event of Amish Tripathi's Scion of Ikshvaku, Akshay Kumar spoke about being advised to acquire the rights to The Immortals of Meluha when it was first released.
Recalling the moment, the actor said, "I still remember that when Amish's first book on Lord Shiva had come out, I was advised to buy the rights of the book and make a film on it. I had seen the cover of the book and was not convinced that I could play Lord Shiva. However, when Karan Johar later told me about the story, I felt that I actually missed out on something. So the moral of the story, it is good to read books."
Amish Tripathi Shuts Down Rumours
The recent speculation around Ranveer Singh's involvement prompted Amish Tripathi to issue a clarification.
In a statement, the author said, "The rights for the Shiva Trilogy are with me, and nothing has been signed with anyone as yet. Ranveer is one of the finest Indian actors ever, in my opinion. I am a big fan of his. But this news is not true."
Karan Johar Once Called The Project A 'Game-Changer'
Interest in adapting the Shiva Trilogy is not new. Back in 2012, during the launch of the cover of The Oath of the Vayuputras, Karan Johar had described The Immortals of Meluha as a "game-changer" for Dharma Productions.
As quoted by IANS, he had said, "For me, it is not just another film. I would say it would be a game-changer for Dharma Productions."
He added that adapting the book would be among the production house's biggest creative challenges.
When Ranbir Kapoor Denied Casting Rumours
Interestingly, in 2013, Ranbir Kapoor had to shut down rumours linking him to the adaptation.
Reacting to reports that he would play Lord Shiva, the actor had said, as quoted by IANS, "Yes, I read it in the newspapers that it is 'The Immortals of Meluha', but that is not true. It is completely untrue."
About The Immortals of Meluha
The Immortals of Meluha is a three-part book series by Amish Tripathi. It includes The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas, and The Oath of the Vayuputras.
The fantasy series offers a fresh take on Hindu mythology and is centred on Shiva, a tribal leader from Tibet. The story follows his journey to the prosperous empire of Meluha, where he is gradually identified as the prophesied saviour, known as the Neelkanth.
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