Kamal Haasan and director Shankar originally planned Indian 2 as a single film. However, due to budget issues, the shoot was halted midway. When production resumed, the team decided to split the story into two parts. Indian 2’s failure at the box office affected the plans: now reports suggest that Indian 3 has been shelved.
During the break in Indian 2’s shoot, Shankar began working on Game Changer with Ram Charan, while Kamal Haasan delivered a blockbuster with Vikram. The success of Vikram and support from Red Giant Movies helped revive Indian 2. Since a large budget had already been spent, the makers planned to release Indian 2 and Indian 3 within a few months of each other. In fact, 80% of Indian 3 was shot before Indian 2 hit theatres.
Indian 2 and Game Changer’s Results Affected Indian 3
But Indian 2 turned out to be a big disaster. As a result, Indian 3 was put on hold, and Shankar shifted focus to Game Changer, which was released during Sankranthi but also failed. This added more trouble to the plans. Despite several attempts to resume shooting, financial negotiations didn’t work out, and Indian 3 has reportedly been shelved.
Shankar moved to Velpari – Can Indian 3 Makers make some profit by releasing it on OTT?
Shankar is now preparing for his next project, Velpari, which is expected to begin shooting in June 2026. Kamal Haasan has also moved on to pre-production for his upcoming films. The producer is unwilling to invest more money in Indian 3, making its revival nearly impossible. However, since most of the footage is already shot and crores have been spent, the team is unsure what to do with it.
Kamal Haasan had mentioned during Indian 2 promotions that the core story lies in Indian 3. A possible solution could be releasing it on OTT platforms: first on a rental basis, then based on views. But since OTT platforms may not offer a high price, the makers might have to release it independently and earn through revenue sharing.