India's most expensive film was made in 1997, much bigger than Pushpa 2, Kalki 2898 AD, RRR, was rejected by Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, never got released due to..

There has been a trend of expensive, big-budget films being made in the film industry for the past few years, with movies such as Baahubali, Pushpa 2, Kalki 2898 AD, and RRR being made on a massive budget. Today, we will tell you about one film that was being made in 1997 and was touted to be the most expensive film to be produced in India during that period. This film, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan under his Raaj Kamal Films International banner, was rejected by superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth and remained unreleased and unfinished. We are talking about the historical drama film Marudhanayagam. 

Marudhanayagam was co-written by Kamal Haasan, along with novelist Sujatha. They started working on the project in 1991 and announced it at a ceremony held at MGR Film City, Chennai, in 1997. Marudhanayagam had a proposed budget of Rs 80 crores, which, in today's terms, is over Rs 600 crores. Marudhanayagam was an ambitious project based on the life of 18th-century freedom fighter Marudhanayagam Pillai. 

Despite beginning its shoot in 1997, Marudhanayagam could never be completed despite numerous attempts at reviving the project. Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth, who were offered to play significant guest roles in the film, rejected it. Titanic fame Kate Winslet was also offered the lead role of Marsha in the film, which she refused to do. 

Marudhanayagam was being produced jointly by Indian, French, and English production houses, and it is believed that if the film had been released as intended, it would have proved to be a bigger box office hit than even Prabhas' Baahubali 2.

Over the years, many reasons have cropped up as to why Marudhanayagam could never be completed. However, one of the main reasons is said to be India's failed nuclear test in the Pokhran region in 1998. This reportedly angered the British government, leading to the British production house withdrawing from the film. There have been numerous attempts to revive the film by Kamal Haasan, who is deeply attached to the project; however, so far, it has all been in vain. 

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