Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 23: Filmmaker Anurag Basu has dismissed speculation that a major portion of his upcoming film starring Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela has already been completed, saying shooting is still in the early stages.

In a recent interaction, Basu said only a limited part of the film had been shot so far.

“That the majority of the shooting is done is a myth. I’ve not shot more than 45 days for this film. The shooting has just started,” he said.

The untitled romantic drama had generated buzz after its promo was unveiled in February last year, with an initial release target of December 2025. However, the schedule was later pushed back, and the film is now expected to release in late 2026 or early 2027.

The project has remained in focus since early speculation linked it to the Aashiqui legacy, though it is now moving ahead as a standalone film following creative and legal complications surrounding the franchise.

Despite that, the film is expected to retain the nostalgic musical tone associated with classic Hindi romantic dramas.

Early glimpses from the sets have also suggested a more intense and grounded look for Kartik Aaryan, fuelling anticipation around the project.

Basu also said he was eager to move on to his long-planned biopic on legendary singer Kishore Kumar once the current film is completed.

“I’m dying to jump into that film as soon as I get over with the film which I’m doing right now,” he said, adding that the Kishore Kumar project had been in his system for a long time.

“I want to finish this and get into Kishore as soon as possible,” he added.

The filmmaker’s remarks have revived interest in the much-discussed biopic, which has been in development for years.