Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt is officially returning to the presenter’s chair for Naam – To Live is War, a new Bollywood action thriller starring Veer Pahariya and Varun Sharma. The project borrows its title from Bhatt’s iconic 1986 blockbuster that starred Sanjay Dutt, but producers have explicitly confirmed this is a completely original script rather than a modern remake.
What We Know
- Director: Sidhaant Sachdev, who previously worked as an assistant on Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain, is directing the project.
- Production: First-time producers Riddhi Chawda and Utsav Upadhyay are backing the film under Utsav Entertainment and Productions alongside Alphaneon Studioz.
- Writing Team: The screenplay was co-written by Sachdev, Suhrita Das, and Shweta Bothra under Bhatt’s direct creative supervision.
The casting sets up an interesting clash for the two leads. Pahariya steps into the shoes of an angry young man with distinct grey shades, while Sharma is taking a sharp turn from his usual comedic roles to play a fierce antagonist. This marks the very first time the two actors will share the screen.
Bhatt was highly complimentary of the younger talent during the announcement. He noted that both leads possess a distinct “thirst and urgency to create a place for themselves” in the current industry. According to coverage by Mid-Day, Bhatt also praised their awareness, stating they are “far more cinematically literate than we were.”
The veteran director did have some practical instructions for Sachdev. He advised the relatively new director to remain “fiercely committed to his vision” while ensuring the entire production wraps within its initially sanctioned budget.