'Ponniyin Selvan 2' and other upcoming historical films

Adipurush

Shaakuntalam

Sita: The Incarnation

Hara Hara Veera Mallu

Immortal Ashwatthama

The Good Maharaja

Directors favour stories on myth and history because they tend to shine at the box office. People seem to lap up such magnum opuses, which are aided by special effects and ambitious action sequences.

In the past, the retelling of untold stories made such as the ‘Baahubali’ films, ‘Padmaavat’, ‘RRR’, and many more. Here are a list of movies that we can expect to see this year. Mani Ratnam's 'Ponniyin Selvan 2' is the most-awaited historical film of 2023. DH takes other anticipated films of the genre.

Adipurush

Fascinated by the 1992 Japanese film 'Ramayana-The Legend of Prince Rama', director Om Raut got inspired to adapt Ramayana as 'Ädipurush', one of the most expensive Indian films. It was shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu languages. It stars Prabhas, Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. The film has its share of concerns as it received huge criticism for its poor animation and visual effects after the release of its trailer. The film releases on June 16.

Ponniyin Selvan II

'PS I' is Mani Ratnam's biggest hit ever, and he is ready to release his second installment. This is a much awaited film not just because of the plot — which is written from Kalki's epic novel by the same name — but also because of its ensemble star cast headlined by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Karthi, Trisha and Jayam Ravi. The historical drama on the Chola dynasty releases on April 28.

Shaakuntalam

Directed by Gunashekar, 'Shaakuntalam' is based on a popular play 'Abhigyan Shakuntalam' by Kalidasa. Makers had initially approached Anushka Shetty for the role but before zeroing on Samantha, who stepped into the shoes of Shakuntala. The makers have decided to convert the film into the 3D format.

Sita: The Incarnation

'Sita: The Incarnation' is based on the epic Ramayana and focusing on the story of Sita before she got married to Rama. Touted to have huge sets to depict the kingdom of Mithila, the film is set to focus on the bravery and gutsy spirit of Sita.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu

Showcasing the life of the legendary outlaw Veera Mallu, the Telugu film stars Palwan Kalyan in the lead role. It is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi, who known for big canvas films ('Gautamiputra Satakarni', 'Krishnam Vande Jagadguru'). The story is set in the Mughal empire. The plot is about outlaw Veera Mallu, who is tasked with stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Mughals. The movie is set to release on March 30.

The Immortal Ashwatthama

'The Immortal Ashwatthama' is a mythological inspired by the warrior Ashwatthama in Mahabharata. The film is directed by Aditya Dhar. While Vicky Kaushal has been named as the lead, there are rumours of him opting out of it.

The Good Maharaja

'The Good Maharaja' is an upcoming historical film that is based on the Maharaja of Nawanagar who saved around 1000 Polish children during World War II. The film was shot in three languages Hindi, English and Polish. The film faced a legal notice from the daughters of the Maharaja. Following this, director Omung Kumar opted out of the film and Vikash Verma took over the role of the director.