After the critical acclaim of Amaran (2024), director Rajkumar Periasamy was all set to make his much-anticipated Hindi directorial debut. But the project has now hit a temporary roadblock. According to sources close to the development, the pan-India film — slated to roll in 2025 — has been put on hold. Backed by T-Series, the film had Kartik Aaryan and Akshaye Khanna as the frontrunners for the lead roles. However, Aaryan schedule has reportedly led to delays.

A source tells mid-day, “Kartik’s dates just don’t align anymore. He’s currently neck-deep in Naagzilla, and then will move straight to Kabir Khan’s next. There’s practically no window for Rajkumar’s film this year.” The yet-untitled film requires “long, uninterrupted schedules”. “With actors unavailable for the foreseeable future, the team felt it was wiser to pause rather than rush or go into a recasting,” adds another source.