An ambitious Bollywood project centered on Lord Parashurama, titled Mahavatar, has recently been the subject of widespread speculation regarding its preparation, prompting the film’s director, Amar Kaushik, to address the rumors publicly.

The film, which stars Vicky Kaushal as the lead, has been generating buzz since its official announcement. Reports began circulating that Kaushal had adopted a rigorous, disciplined lifestyle—including giving up alcohol and non-vegetarian food—to spiritually connect with the role of the great sage, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. These reports were later expanded to suggest that director Amar Kaushik had also joined Kaushal in this strict preparatory regimen.

However, in an interview, director Amar Kaushik personally refuted these claims, expressing surprise at how unsubstantiated stories manage to spread online. He directly urged the public not to believe anything unless it comes from an official source, stating (translated from Hindi), “Something comes out of nowhere. Please, brothers, stop all this. Only believe in something when we say it.”

Kaushik’s statement clarifies that there has been no official confirmation of any such collective lifestyle changes undertaken by him or Vicky Kaushal for the upcoming film.

Mahavatar is slated to be one of the most ambitious Hindi films ever made, aiming to bring the story of Lord Parashurama to the big screen with a grand cinematic vision. While fans await the start of filming for Mahavatar, Vicky Kaushal is currently busy shooting for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War, which also features Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.