Table of Contents
Fighter (2024 Film)
“Fighter” is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Siddharth Anand and jointly produced by Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures. The star-studded cast features Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan, and Anil Kapoor, marking the inception of an exciting aerial action franchise.
The film was officially unveiled on January 10, 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly hampered the pre-production process, causing delays. Principal photography eventually kicked off in November 2022, with filming conducted in various locations across Assam, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, and Mumbai. Notably, real-life Indian Air Force cadets have contributed to the film. The soundtrack album, composed by the talented duo Vishal–Shekhar, includes five songs, while Satchith Paulose handles the cinematography. The visual effects are masterfully crafted by DNEG.
Originally intended for a theatrical debut on September 30, 2022, “Fighter” faced multiple postponements due to production setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now scheduled for a highly anticipated theatrical release on January 25, 2024, coinciding with India’s Republic Day celebration.
Fighter
Directed
Screenplay
Cinematography
Edited
Music
Distributed
Country
Language
Budget
Release Date
Story
Siddharth Anand
Ramon Chibb
Satchith Paulose
Aarif Sheikh
Vishal–Shekhar
Viacom18 Studios
Hindi
₹250 crore
25 January 2024
- Ramon Chibb
- Siddharth Anand
Produced
- Siddharth Anand
- Jyoti Deshpande
- Ajit Andhare
- Mamta Anand
- Ramon Chibb
- Anku Pande
Objectives
- Deepika Padukone
- Hrithik Roshan as Patty
- Anil Kapoor
- Karan Singh Grover
- Akshay Oberoi
- Sanjeeda Shaikh
- Talat Aziz as Patty's father
Development
While shooting the 2019 film “War,” director Siddharth Anand pitched the concept of creating a high-budget action thriller set against the backdrop of fighter jets to Hrithik Roshan. Intrigued by the basic premise, Roshan expressed his interest in the project. During the COVID-19 lockdown in India, Anand devoted his time to further developing the storyline and subsequently presented it to Roshan, who enthusiastically agreed to be part of the film. In December 2020, reports surfaced that Siddharth Anand and Hrithik Roshan would be reuniting for a film following their collaboration on “War.”
The official announcement of “Fighter” took place on January 10, 2021, coinciding with Hrithik Roshan’s birthday. This groundbreaking film marks India’s first foray into the genre of aerial action and serves as the inaugural installment of a thrilling franchise. Production is managed by a team including Siddharth Anand, Jyoti Deshpande, Ajit Andhare, Mamta Anand, Ramon Chibb, and Anku Pande, with Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures as the production banners. The film boasts a substantial budget of ₹250 crore.
Speaking about the project, director Siddharth Anand emphasized the unprecedented nature of the film, stating, “We have taken it to another level. Audiences in India have not witnessed anything like this before. It’s a groundbreaking endeavor, unlike anything we’ve attempted before. The quality we’re delivering at the cost we’re managing is simply astounding. There are some exceptional elements we’re exploring that I can’t divulge at this stage; I want the audience to experience them when we unveil the teaser. Hopefully, it will leave them in awe.” “Fighter” is designed to cater to a global audience and incorporates cutting-edge technology and filmmaking techniques.
Filming
Principal photography commenced on November 14, 2022, in Assam. During this schedule, which took place at Tezpur Air Force Station, Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor joined the production team. After completing a 10-day first schedule in Assam, the crew returned to Mumbai on November 28, 2022.
The second schedule, which began on February 6, 2023, saw the team relocating to Kashmir. Akshay Oberoi also joined the shoot during this phase. The crew wrapped up this schedule on February 12, 2023, after filming in Pahalgam, Kashmir, where they captured a song and several action sequences choreographed by Sunil Rodrigues.
The third schedule unfolded at Dundigal Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, focusing on Roshan’s character undergoing Air Force cadet training. This schedule concluded on March 6, 2023.
On March 19, 2023, Hrithik Roshan commenced filming for the fourth schedule in a Chembur bungalow in Mumbai. During this schedule, Talat Aziz joined the cast, and they captured emotionally charged scenes. This month-long schedule was reported to wrap up on April 24, 2023. Anil Kapoor shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram, showcasing his rigorous workout regimen for the schedule, which included working in temperatures as low as -110 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the team filmed a 25-minute long climax scene with an action sequence, a process that took 120 hours (5 days) to complete.
For the subsequent schedule, production designer Rajat Poddarr and his team constructed an expansive set at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai, replicating the interiors of an Air Force base, classrooms, and offices. This new schedule, starting on May 14, 2023, featured Deepika Padukone, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, and Gulshan Grover. On May 19, 2023, the team filmed combination scenes involving Padukone and Kapoor at Chembur’s Mysore colony over a span of three days. From May 22, 2023, emotional scenes between Padukone and Roshan were captured in Chandivali, with a minimal number of extras (20–30) to prevent any potential leaks of the film’s footage online. The Mumbai schedule was successfully wrapped up in mid-June 2023. Roshan spent over 12 days filming inside a Sukhoi Su-30MKI. In late August, dramatic scenes between Roshan and Kapoor were filmed in Mumbai. In early September, the crew shot a song featuring Roshan and Padukone, along with the entire cast, choreographed by the renowned duo Bosco–Caesar, at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai.
Music / Song's
The musical score for the film is crafted by the dynamic duo Vishal–Shekhar. The album features a total of five songs, among which one is an emotional ballad. T-Series has secured the rights to the film’s music.
Release
“Fighter” is set to hit theaters on January 25, 2024, aligning with India’s Republic Day celebration.
Initially, in January 2021, the film was slated for release on September 30, 2022. However, in October 2022, the release date was rescheduled to January 25, 2024.
During the script development phase, the creators decided to transform it into a franchise. As of May 2023, there were reports indicating that the production of a sequel film titled “Fighter 2” would commence once Siddharth Anand had completed shooting for “Tiger vs Pathaan.”
