Paani is an upcoming Bollywood movie directed by Adinath Kothare and produced by Priyanka Chopra’s Purple Pebble Pictures.
The film addresses the critical issue of water scarcity in Marathwada, a drought-stricken region in Maharashtra, and follows the life of real-life water conservationist Hanumant Kendre. The movie is set to release on October 18, 2024.
But did you know there was another ambitious Bollywood project titled Paani that stirred a lot of buzz in the 2010s? This version of Paani portrayed a dystopian future where water had run out, leading to wars and global chaos.
It was set to be directed by Shekhar Kapur and was going to star Sushant Singh Rajput. Produced by Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Productions (YRF), the movie was unfortunately shelved when YRF pulled out just a day before shooting began.
Both Sushant and Shekhar Kapur were devastated by the cancellation, especially Sushant, who had turned down several projects to dedicate himself to Paani.
Though Priyanka Chopra’s Paani has no direct connection to Shekhar Kapur’s version, the two films share thematic similarities, such as their focus on water scarcity.
However, they differ significantly—one was a fictional dystopia, while the other was based on the real-life efforts of Hanumant Kendre.
