Ustaad Bhagat Singh: Harish Shankar clears the air

Director Harish Shankar has categorically denied reports that “Ustaad Bhagat Singh,” starring Pawan Kalyan, is a remake of any existing film. Addressing the ongoing speculation, he put an end to rumours suggesting that the project is based on a Tamil movie.

Speaking in Rajahmundry at the launch of the film’s first single, Harish Shankar explained that there was initially a plan to remake a film, but it was eventually dropped. “We did consider remaking a movie, but the idea did not materialise. That plan was scrapped, and we later developed a fresh story for Ustaad Bhagat Singh,” he stated.

For a long time, there have been claims that the film is a reworked version of Thalapathy Vijay’s 2016 hit “Theri,” directed by Atlee. The rumours also sparked concerns about the film relying on dated material.

With his latest clarification, Harish Shankar has firmly dismissed those assumptions, confirming that “Ustaad Bhagat Singh” is not a remake.

Pawan Kalyan and Harish Shankar previously delivered the blockbuster “Gabbar Singh,” which itself was an official adaptation of the Bollywood hit Dabangg. While Harish Shankar is known for remakes in his career, he has now made it clear that “Ustaad Bhagat Singh” will be an original story.