Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva

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BRAHMĀSTRA – the Trilogy, is a 3-part film franchise and the beginning of India’s first original universe The Astraverse. It is a new original cinematic universe inspired by deeply rooted concepts and tales from Indian history but set in the modern world, with epic storytelling of fantasy, adventure, good vs evil, love, and hope; all told using cutting-edge technology and never-seen-before visual spectacles.

About Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva Movie

Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva is a Hindi fantasy action-adventure film written and directed by Ayan Mukerji. Produced by Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Hiroo Yash Johar, Namit Malhotra, and Mukerji himself (marking his production debut), the film was made under Dharma Productions, Starlight Pictures, and Prime Focus, in association with Star Studios. Additionally, Ranbir Kapoor and Marijke DeSouza were also involved as producers. This film serves as the first installment of a planned trilogy, which is part of a larger cinematic universe called Āstraverse.

The ensemble cast includes Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, and Nagarjuna, with a special appearance by Shah Rukh Khan. The film draws inspiration from Hindu mythology.

Mukerji first conceived the idea for Brahmāstra in 2011 while working on the script for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). In July 2014, he hinted at his new project, and by October 2017, producer Karan Johar officially announced the film. Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan were signed as lead actors, with Mukerji directing. Initially titled Dragon, the film was later renamed Brahmāstra in 2017, with Mukerji explaining that the title embodies “ancient wisdom, energy, and power.” He also described it as a contemporary film infused with ancient elements. That same year, Johar confirmed plans to develop the film as a trilogy. Preparations began in January 2018.

Ranbir Kapoor shared in an interview that Mukerji dedicated six years to crafting an original story, and the trilogy was envisioned to span a decade. He dismissed claims of the film being a typical superhero story, instead describing it as a “romantic fairytale within a supernatural setting” that remains grounded in truth. Telugu actor Nagarjuna confirmed his pivotal role, marking his return to Hindi cinema after 19 years since LOC: Kargil (2003). Mouni Roy revealed that she is the film’s sole antagonist.

In June 2022, Mukerji reiterated that the film is the first chapter of a trilogy within the Astraverse—a cinematic universe centered around mystical astras. By August 2022, Mouni Roy confirmed that Shah Rukh Khan had a cameo, reprising his character from Swades (2004).

Mukerji began work on the project nine years before its theatrical release. Pre-production started in 2014, and filming commenced in 2018. In February 2018, Bachchan and Kapoor underwent look tests under Mukerji’s supervision.

Principal photography kicked off on 24 February 2018, with the first schedule concluding in Bulgaria by 24 March. The second schedule covered locations in Bulgaria, London, and New York in mid-2018. Extensive shooting took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, in February 2019, followed by a 20-day shoot in Varanasi’s Ramnagar Fort and Chet Singh Fort in July. Production halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in November 2020, finally wrapping up on 29 March 2022 in Varanasi. After receiving input from screenwriter V. Vijayendra Prasad, Mukerji conducted a four-day reshoot.

The film was reported to have a production budget of ₹410 crore (US$47 million), making it one of the most expensive Indian films and the costliest Hindi film at the time of its release. However, Ranbir Kapoor later clarified that this budget covered all three planned installments, with assets from the first film being reused in future parts.

During post-production, an estimated ₹150 crore was spent on VFX, handled by DNEG-Prime Focus. Editing was led by Prakash Kurup, while sound effects were designed by Jam8 studio under Pritam. DNEG and ReDefine’s international teams contributed to the visual effects. Chiranjeevi provided the voice-over for the Telugu version. Ranbir and Alia completed dubbing their parts in a Bandra studio in September 2020.

Sequels

Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva is designed as the first installment of a planned trilogy, which itself is part of the larger Astraverse cinematic universe. The film’s ending reveals the title of its sequel, Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev, which will serve as the second and penultimate chapter of the trilogy. It is scheduled for release in December 2026.

Pre-production for the second installment began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following that, Brahmāstra: Part Three will conclude the trilogy, with its release slated for December 2027. Both sequels are set to be filmed simultaneously.

Streaming television series

Mukerji revealed that in May 2022, Disney invited him to Los Angeles to attend an international studio summit, where he presented Brahmāstra and discussed the film’s potential cinematic universe with American producer Kevin Feige. He shared his vision of expanding the Astraverse beyond films, including a streaming television series and theatrical projects, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Describing the Astraverse as a “large-scale mainstream experiment,” Mukerji expressed his ambition to extend it into gaming, merchandise, virtual reality, and the Metaverse in the future.

Spin-off

Mukerji revealed that a spin-off film centered around Shah Rukh Khan’s character, Mohan Bhargav, is being considered. The film would serve as an origin story, exploring how he came to wield the Vanarastra.

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