Shekhar Kapur Reveals Why Paani Was Shelved Despite Sushant Singh Rajput's 6-Month Rehearsal
Image Source: Internet
Shekhar Kapur has opened up about the long-delayed film Paani, revealing why the ambitious project backed by Yash Raj Films was eventually shelved despite years of development.
The futuristic film, which was once set to star late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, generated significant interest when reports in 2014 suggested it was finally ready to go into production after more than a decade in development.
The project, set in the year 2050, was planned as a dystopian drama depicting a world facing an acute water shortage.
Shekhar said the project stalled when the production house decided not to move forward with Sushant in the lead role.
“I couldn’t even start Paani’s production. By the time YRF decided that they wouldn’t cast Sushant, I had already been rehearsing with him for six months.
Shekhar also recalled a conversation with Aditya Chopra, the head of Yash Raj Films, explaining how the production house eventually stepped away from the project.
The filmmaker said that when they initially agreed to collaborate, Aditya would handle the business side of the film while Shekhar would retain full creative control.
However, Shekhar said Aditya later expressed reservations about the arrangement.
According to the director, Aditya explained that he was accustomed to closely supervising projects at the studio and that, under their agreement, he would not be able to do so on Paani.
As a result, the two mutually decided not to move ahead with the film under the YRF banner.
Shekhar said the decision was reached amicably and without any conflict.
He noted that both he and Aditya are established filmmakers with strong creative perspectives, and it was natural that they might not always align on a project's creative direction.
Despite the setback, the director emphasised that he has not entirely abandoned the film and still hopes to revisit the project in the future.
