Two years to go back nine centuries

A still from the film

Retelling the story of a warrior king on celluloid involves mounting it on a grand scale. Producer Aditya Chopra knew it as he greenlit the ambitious Samrat Prithviraj, led by Akshay Kumar. Where director Chandraprakash Dwivedi recreated portions of 12th century Delhi, Ajmer and Kannauj by building elaborate sets for the period drama, the responsibility of recreating the cities in entirety fell on YRF's special effects wing, yFX. The VFX team also lent a larger-than-life air to the climax of the Kumar-starrer that showcases the epic battle between Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad of Ghor.

The film's leading man is impressed by the final product. "We knew we could scale up the film if the brilliant team at yFX would have adequate time to work on the footage," says Kumar. The pandemic-induced lockdowns were utilised to enhance the project. "The pandemic resulted in them getting about two years to work on the footage. So, you can only imagine the scale that has been achieved through VFX," states the actor.

Kumar believes that Dwivedi's storytelling, coupled with the special effects, has enabled them to pay "the grandest tribute" to the ruler of the Chahamana dynasty. "From the word go, we were sure that we would tell Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan's story in its full glory. Elaborate war sequences were designed, expansive sets were created, and we shot in majestic locations to add as much visual appeal as possible," adds the actor. The June 3 offering also stars Sanjay Dutt, Sonu Sood and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar.