Has Atlee’s film with Salman Khan been shelved as speculated in the media? Well, not certainly. But this high-profile project is definitely facing unexpected challenges.

PeepingMoon.com has exclusively learned that Salman might not star in Atlee’s film anymore. The primary reason is Atlee's struggle to secure a producer willing to finance this large-scale action spectacle with Salman in the lead role. “As Atlee nears the completion of the script, he has realized that the film has grown even more ambitious and expensive than initially anticipated. Originally budgeted at 300 crore, the project now requires at least 400 crore to bring his vision to life. However, producers are hesitant to invest such a massive amount in a Salman film at this juncture, considering his recent films have all mostly underperformed at the box office,” a source close to the development told us.

Atlee has been in negotiations with Jio Studios to finance the film, but discussions have yet to yield any concrete results. Meanwhile, Sun Pictures has explicitly stated that they are not interested in funding the project with Salman in the lead. Faced with these setbacks, Atlee has begun discussions again with Allu Arjun, his first choice for this film since its inception. The ‘Pushpa 2’ star is also keen to collaborate with him, and they will soon meet for a script narration. Apparently, Sun Pictures is ready to produce this film if Allu comes on board.

“At this stage, everything is still in the development phase. Salman remains committed to the project, as does Atlee, but if budgetary concerns persist, Atlee may have no choice but to move forward with Allu. Although Allu has already committed to Trivikram Srinivas’s next mythological epic, Atlee is confident that dates can be adjusted if Allu agrees to take on the role. For now, it’s all uncertain, and the clarity on the film and its casting is expected only after a month or two,” the source concluded.

Atlee’s next directorial, termed as #A6, is described as a mega-budget, two-hero reincarnation-themed action drama. Initially, Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan were speculated to be in talks for parallel lead roles alongside Salman, but those discussions did not progress further. The script of this period saga is reportedly Atlee’s most ambitious and compelling work to date, and he is determined to create a cinematic spectacle that Indian audiences can take pride in. Stay tuned to PeepingMoon.com for more latest updates on this highly anticipated project!