A UAE-based billionaire will bankroll the most expensive Indian film ever made

A UAE-based billionaire is planning to break the record for the most expensive Indian film ever made.

Earlier this week, Indian Businessman Dr. Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty announced that he will be producing a $150 million film, based on a major Sanskrit epic of ancient India, titled The Mahabharata.

The Mahabharata is one of two major Sanskrit epics, the other being The Rāmāyaṇa.

The film retells the story of the Kurukṣetra War and revolves around the fates of the Kaurava and the Pāṇḍava princes. It will be shot primarily in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu.

Speaking of the production, Dr. Shetty explains that it is based on "an epic of all epics," adding that "the Mahabharata mesmerizes as well as brings focus on life and living."

The film will be directed by south Indian filmmaker V.A Shrikumar Menon, and is set to bring together top figures in both Indian and global cinema.

It will be released in two parts in early 2020, with the second part being released 90 days after the first.

Shetty stated that the film would be adapted in "over 100 languages and reach over 3 billion people across the world," Arab Times reported.

Dr. Shetty is CEO and Chairman of UAE exchange. He is also founder of Abu Dhabi based NMC healthcare and Neopharma, a UAE based pharmaceutical manufacturer. 

Through the magnum opus, he will be venturing into what has been described as world's most prolific film-producing nation.

According to a 2016 Deloitte study, the country "produces 1,500 to 2,000 films every year in more than 20 languages."