Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Karna Faces Setbacks: Budget Woes and Suriya’s Recent Flop Cast Doubts on the Epic’s Future
Bollywood’s ambitious projects continue to face financial hurdles, with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s mythological epic Karna becoming the latest victim of budgetary concerns. The film, which was set to star Tamil superstar Suriya in the titular role, has reportedly been put on hold due to its enormous budget of ₹600 crores. According to industry insiders, Mehra, known for films like Rang De Basanti and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, has temporarily paused the project as he struggles to secure funding.
Adding to the uncertainty, reports suggest that Excel Entertainment, co-founded by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, is reevaluating its involvement. The production house, initially attached to the project, has allegedly urged Mehra to drastically cut costs to make the film financially viable. With the rising costs becoming a deterrent, Mehra is now exploring other avenues for funding.
However, another critical factor complicating matters is the underwhelming box-office performance of Suriya’s recent release Kanguva. The big-budget period drama failed to meet expectations, causing concern among potential investors. For a film like Karna, which relies on a pan-Indian appeal and significant financial backing, Suriya’s current box-office pull has been called into question. This mirrors challenges faced by other shelved mythological ventures like Vicky Kaushal’s The Immortal Ashwatthama.
Mehra’s dedication to crafting a historically accurate and visually grand retelling of Karna’s legendary story remains unwavering. However, the dilemma now lies between scaling down his vision or finding producers willing to bet on the massive undertaking. With Bollywood increasingly cautious about big-budget epics, the fate of Karna hangs in the balance.
