Ayan Mukerji Birthday 2023: A look into ace director's big dream of ‘Astraverse’

In Pic: Ayan Mukerji and Brahmastra Poster

Ayan Mukerji is one of India's most loved filmmakers. He is the creator of the much-loved 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,' but he is also the one who dreamt about the dynamic ‘Astraverse' as he calls it. On the ace director's birthday, here is a look into his big dream of creating a franchise film based on the notion of modern India but with a touch of mythical themes.

Indian cinema has traditionally grappled with two issues: establishing a franchise and using Indian mythology to generate big-budget films. On these counts, 'Brahmastra' represents a huge stride forward. 'Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva' by Ayan Mukerji, reportedly generated about US$53 million at the global box office, making the narrative of Shiva's battle against evil powers, the largest Hindi movie of 2022.

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Mukerji in one of his interviews claimed he began thinking about 'Brahmastra' even before filming 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani'. He described his idea of the trilogy as 'the beginning of this journey on the path where modern spirituality meets fantasy'.

"I am a lover of fantasy, that kind of storytelling really tickles my mind. Some of the divine power in our literature is deeper in me. I think Shiva is the greatest thing in the universe. I started off wanting to make a film that excited and entertained people, like 'Lord of the Rings'; it is the best ever (fantasy fiction) created. That journey led me into drawing and creating my fantasy from a deeply Indian childhood, history, spirituality, culture, and space. That is the dream I am chasing and am still chasing it," Ayan said in one of his interviews.

The film, which stars Ranbir Kapoor as Shiva, revolves around the ownership of the ultimate weapon, the Brahmastra (a combination of the Hindi term astra, which means weapon, and Brahma, the creator in Hindu mythology). The 'Astraverse,' as he refers to it, is an alternate reality in which good people are armed with natural elements such as water, fire, and wind, or creatures such as monkeys or bulls.

For the unversed, the second part of the film titled ‘Brahmastra Part Two Dev' will be released in December 2026, followed by the third part, which will release in December 2027.