Anurag Basu Clears Air On Kartik Aaryan–Sreeleela Film, Says Shoot ‘Just Started’

For months now, there’s been this quiet assumption that the romantic musical starring Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela was almost done. Teaser came out, buzz picked up, and suddenly it felt like the film was just waiting to release.

Turns out… not even close.

Anurag Basu has now stepped in and cleared that entire narrative. And what he said flips everything.

According to Basu, the film is still very much in its early phase. Not halfway, not near completion — just starting. He revealed that only around 45 days of shooting have been done so far, which honestly is far less than what people were assuming.

So all those reports about the film being almost wrapped? Not accurate.

The confusion probably started when the promo dropped back in early 2025. At that point, the makers had even hinted at a December release, which made it look like things were moving fast. But delays kicked in, schedules shifted, and the film quietly slowed down.

Now, with Basu’s latest statement, things feel more grounded.

The project, backed by T-Series and featuring music by Pritam, is still shaping itself. And knowing Basu’s style, that’s not surprising. His films usually don’t follow a strict, mechanical process — they evolve during the shoot, sometimes even changing tone along the way.

Which also means timelines can stretch.

For Sreeleela, this film is a big moment. It marks her entry into Hindi cinema, and from what she’s said earlier, the experience has been quite intense. She’s spoken about Basu’s way of working — how it doesn’t always look structured from the outside, but somehow brings out something real from the actors.

She even called the experience “unreal,” which says a lot considering this is her Bollywood debut.

At the same time, Basu’s focus isn’t just on this film.

He’s already looking ahead.

Once this project wraps, he wants to jump straight into his long-pending biopic on Kishore Kumar — something he’s been talking about for years now. So in a way, this current film feels like a bridge before something much bigger and more personal.

But before that, this one needs to be finished.

Right now, the reality is simple — the Kartik Aaryan–Sreeleela film isn’t arriving anytime soon. It’s still being built, piece by piece, without rushing.

And maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Because with Basu, when things take time… they usually come out a little different from the rest.

Anubhav

Anubhav Chauhan is a digital journalist, entertainment writer, and founder of Popcornrealm. Passionate about pop culture, films, and celebrity stories, he covers the latest updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, and the global entertainment industry like KPop. His articles aim to bring fast, factual, and engaging news to readers in a simple way. With years of experience in online media, Anubhav focuses on creating audience-centered stories that connect with everyday readers. His coverage includes movie reviews, K-pop trends, celebrity controversies, TV updates, and exclusive event reports. Anubhav’s goal is to make Popcornrealm a reliable hub for fans who want authentic, timely, and well-written entertainment news.