In what is being called his most ambitious project to date, Ranveer Singh has reportedly acquired the film rights to Amish Tripathi’s bestselling fantasy novel, The Immortals of Meluha. The actor plans to adapt the book into a massive mythological cinematic trilogy, portraying the legendary Lord Shiva himself.
The Vision for Meluha
The project, currently in early development, will be produced under Ranveer’s own banner, reportedly in collaboration with Birla Studios.
- The Story: Based on the first book of the Shiva Trilogy, the film will reimagine Shiva as a heroic tribal leader who becomes a savior for the ancient civilization of Meluha.
- The Format: Makers are envisioning a long-term cinematic universe spanning at least three films.
- Timeline: While screenplay work and world-building have begun, production for the first installment is not expected to start until 2028.
Ranveer’s Packed 2026-2027 Schedule
Before he steps into the role of the Mahadev, Ranveer has a string of high-profile “tentpole” movies lined up. Following the massive success of his Dhurandhar franchise, the actor is focusing on diverse genres:
| Project | Director | Expected Timeline | Details |
| Pralay | Jai Mehta | August 2026 | A ₹300 crore post-apocalyptic zombie thriller. |
| Aditya Dhar’s Next | Aditya Dhar | March 2027 | A major collaboration following their Dhurandhar success. |
| Don 3 | Farhan Akhtar | 2026 (TBD) | Despite recent rumors of scheduling shifts, the project remains a major part of his pipeline. |
Akshay Kumar’s “Moral of the Story”
The news has brought back a famous anecdote involving Akshay Kumar. During a recent event, Akshay revealed that he was offered the rights to The Immortals of Meluha years ago but turned them down because he didn’t feel he could do justice to the role of Shiva at the time.
“I had seen the cover of the book and was not convinced that I could play Lord Shiva… the moral of the story is it is good to read books.” — Akshay Kumar
Fan Reaction and Casting
The announcement has sparked a frenzy on social media, with fans sharing edits of Ranveer in Shiva’s iconic avatar. While some expressed concern over the “complicated” history of the book’s adaptation (which was previously linked to Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, and Ranbir Kapoor), most believe Ranveer’s high-octane energy is a perfect fit for the “Samoan-like” warrior version of Shiva described in Tripathi’s books.