Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev – A Cinematic Odyssey into the Heart of the Āstraverse

Ayan Mukerji directs and writes this fantasy, action, and adventure film in Hindi. It is produced by Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Hiroo Yash Johar, Namit Malhotra, and Mukerji (in his debut production) under the banners of Dharma Productions, Starlight Pictures, and Prime Focus in association with Star Studios, as well as Ranbir Kapoor and Marijke DeSouza.

The ensemble cast includes Amitabh Bachchan, Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, and Nagarjuna, with Shah Rukh Khan making a special appearance. The film is the first installment of a planned trilogy that is also planned to be part of a cinematic universe called Straverse.

The story follows Shiva, an orphaned musician with pyrokinetic powers who discovers that he is an astra, a weapon of enormous energy, drawing inspiration from Hindu mythology. He tries to stop the Brahmstra, the strongest of the astras, from being taken over by evil forces that have a history with him.

Mukerji came up with the idea for the movie for the first time in 2011 and based it on stories he heard as a child and Indian history. The project’s development was first made public in July 2014, with a 2016 release date in mind.

However, the movie’s official announcement came in October 2017, announcing that it would be a trilogy with the name Brahmstra. Principal photography lasted from February 2018 to March 2022, with filming locations including Bulgaria, London, New York City, Edinburgh, Thailand, Manali, Mumbai and Varanasi.

The film’s production and release were postponed multiple times, first because of production delays and financial constraints, then because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote the lyrics for the soundtrack, and Pritam wrote the songs for the movie.

Star Studios released Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva in theaters on September 9, 2022. It was the first movie to be released under the new name of the studio after The Walt Disney Company bought 21st Century Fox.

The film received mixed reviews, with praise for the star cast, direction, visual effects, action sequences, soundtrack, and musical score, and criticism for the dialogue. It was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2022 and the fifth-highest-grossing Indian film of 2022. In December 2026 and December 2027, respectively, two sequels are currently in development at the same time.

Plot

A group of wise men in ancient India collide with the energy Brahm-shakti in the Himalayas, resulting in the creation of numerous astras—powerful celestial weapons. The Brahmstra, the strongest of them all, is capable of annihilating the entire world.

The sages use their own astras to control the wild Brahmstra and form the Brahmansh, a secret society that works to keep the world safe from the astra powers. Shiva, a DJ, meets Isha Chatterjee, a Londoner who is visiting India for the Durga Puja festival at her grandfather’s pandal.

They meet in modern-day Mumbai. Soon after, Isha shows Shiva her feelings in return. Shiva informs her that he is an orphan who has never met his father and whose mother perished in a fire when he was a baby.

In the meantime, Zor and Raftar attack scientist and Brahminsh member Mohan Bhargav in Delhi for protecting a portion of the Brahmstra. Mohan retaliates with the Vnarstra, but Junoon, who works for the enigmatic evil Dev, eventually subdues him. Mohan reveals that the second piece of Brahmstra is protected in Varanasi by artist and archaeologist Anish Shetty under Junoon’s possession, who uses Vash Mukut.

Mohan leaps from a balcony before he can reveal the Brahminsh (Ashram)’s current location and guru. Because Mohan has a piece of Agneystra tied to his one hand and Shiva is somehow connected to it, Shiva has a vision of Mohan’s encounter with Junoon. He and Isha set out to warn Anish in Varanasi, but Raftar, who is now wielding Mohan’s Vnarstra, stops them.

Anish defeats him using the Nandi Āstra before escaping with Shiva and Isha. Junoon and Zor in a truck pursue them as they travel to the Ashram in Himachal Pradesh.

Anish gives the second piece of the Brahmāstra to Shiva and stays to fight Junoon and Zor, only to be killed. Raftar pursues Shiva and Isha to the Ashram, where Shiva uses his firepower to kill Raftar and kill Isha.

They learn about other astras at the Ashram, and the guru Raghu forces Shiva to join Brahmansh in order to obtain information about his parents. He meets Rani, Raveena, Sher, and Tenzing, who are all new recruits. Raghu teaches them how to use their astras, and Shiva also gains fire control.

Raghu reveals that Shiva is the son of former Brahmansh members Dev and Amrita as Junoon approaches them. Because he was the only one who could simultaneously exert control over multiple stras, Dev actually awoke the Brahmastra. Dev’s wife Amrita (pregnant with Dev’s child), who wielded the Jalāstra, defeated Dev in a battle on a remote island and both of them seemingly perished in the battle.

 

Amrita‘s boat, brought back from the island, was discovered in the battle ruins along with two Brahmstra fragments. Raghu and Shiva came to the conclusion that Mohan and Anish both survived the battle after receiving the Brahmstra pieces, with the third believed to be missing.

Amrita’s Maystra contains the third Brahmstra piece disguised as a conch shell, which Raghu liberates by splashing Shiva’s blood on the conch. When Junoon and her army reach Shram in search of the Brahmstra, they take everyone hostage. Shiva defeats Junoon and eliminates Zor, who wielded Anish’s Nandi stra, releasing all of the prisoners.

However, Junoon is able to steal the third piece from Isha and appears to give herself up in order to activate the Brahmstra.

Isha is in danger as the destruction begins, but Shiva regains his strength from his love and protection of Isha to take control of the Brahmstra and reunite with her. Dev, who had been imprisoned as a statue on an unknown island, is released in the scene after the credits roll because Junoon had turned on the Brahmstra.

Cast

• Amitabh Bachchan as Raghu aka ‘Guruji’, the guru of Brahmānsh, who is also their leader and wields the Prabhāstra
• Ranbir Kapoor as Shiva, Amrita and Dev’s son; an orphan and newly recruited member of the Brahmānsh, who possesses the Agniastra (the astra of fire) within himself
  • Nivaan Gupta as baby Shiva
• Alia Bhatt as Isha Chatterjee; an NRI from London, Shiva’s girlfriend
• Mouni Roy as Junoon, Dev’s right–hand woman who wields the Kavachāstra and aims to revive the Brahmāstra and release Dev
• Nagarjuna as Anish Shetty; an artist, architect, archaeologist and a member of the Brahmānsh who wielded the Nandi Āstra
• Dimple Kapadia as Savitri Devi, a member of Brahmānsh
• Gurfateh Pirzada as Sher, a new recruit of Brahmānsh who wields the Nāg Dhanush^[17]
• Stanzin Delek as Tensing, a new recruit of Brahmānsh who wielded the Pawanāstra
• Lehar Khan as Raveena, a new recruit of Brahmānsh who wields the Gajāstra
• Aditi Joshi as Rani, a new recruit of Brahmānsh who possesses Āyu Madrikā
• Markand Soni as Santha, a new recruit of Brahmānsh and its tech guy who wields the Chakravathāstra (Dagger of Resurrection)
• Saurav Gurjar as Zor, a henchman of Junoon who stole the Nandi Āstra from Anish^[18]
• Rouhallah Gazi as Raftaar, another henchman of Junoon who stole the Vanarāstra from Mohan
• Chaitanya Sharma as Tiger, Shiva’s friend
• Saqib Ayub as Ali, Shiva’s friend
• Rashi Mal as Shaina, Isha’s cousin
• Rohan Rustomji as Sunny, Isha’s cousin
• Farida Devi as Aunty, Shiva’s landlady
• Riyaaz Makaney as Isha’s grandfather
• Shah Rukh Khan as Mohan Bhargav, a renowned scientist and a member of the Brahmānsh who wielded the Vanarāstra (special appearance)

credited from (wikipedia)

Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev, a cinematic juggernaut poised to plunge deeper into the mythology of divine weapons, forbidden love, and a battle that could unravel the universe.

Directed by Ayan Mukerji, this sequel promises to be a monumental leap forward, weaving dual timelines, complex characters, and a cosmic conflict that pits father against son. This is not just a film—it is a saga of fire, betrayal, and redemption, set to release in December 2026.

The Genesis of Dev: A Tale of Power and Peril

The curtains rise on a world still reeling from the events of Part One. In the first film, we followed Shiva (Ranbir Kapoor), an orphaned DJ with pyrokinetic powers, as he discovered his destiny as an Astra—a wielder of divine weapons born from ancient Vedic meditation.

The Brahmāstra, the most potent of these weapons, capable of creation and destruction on a cosmic scale, was at the heart of a battle between the noble Brahmansh and the dark forces led by Junoon (Mouni Roy).

Shiva’s journey culminated in him harnessing his fiery powers to thwart Junoon’s attempt to awaken the Brahmāstra. Yet, in the mid-credits scene, a stone statue cracked open, revealing the resurrection of Dev, Shiva’s enigmatic father and the mastermind behind the chaos.

Part Two: Dev shifts the spotlight to this shadowy figure, unraveling his past while advancing Shiva’s present-day quest. The narrative unfolds across dual timelines: one tracing Dev and Amrita’s (Deepika Padukone) love story thirty years ago, and the other following Shiva and Isha (Alia Bhatt) as they confront the reawakened Dev.

This interplay of past and present creates a tapestry of emotional depth and mythological intrigue, promising a story that is ten times grander than its predecessor, as teased by Ranbir Kapoor in a 2024 Zoom meeting with fans.

The Past: Dev and Amrita’s Forbidden Love

The film opens in a vibrant, mythic India, thirty years prior, where the Brahmansh stands as a clandestine order safeguarding the Astras.

We meet a young Dev (rumored to be played by Ranveer Singh), a street-smart urchin with a heart of gold and a spark of defiance. Orphaned and hardened by life, Dev’s life changes when he discovers his connection to the Brahmāstra itself, an Astra of unparalleled energy.

His raw power draws the attention of the Brahmansh, who take him under their wing, but his rebellious spirit chafes against their rigid doctrines.

Enter Amrita, the bearer of the Jalastra (water weapon), whose grace and compassion temper Dev’s fire. Their chemistry is electric—a dance of opposites, fire and water, chaos and calm. Against the Brahmansh’s strict rules forbidding personal attachments, Dev and Amrita fall deeply in love. Together, they embark on covert missions, using their Astras to protect the innocent—stopping bandits, averting disasters, and becoming local legends shrouded in mystery. Their actions, however, draw the ire of the Brahmansh elders, who fear that exposing the Astras risks unleashing chaos.

The past timeline is a visual feast, blending the earthy tones of ancient India with bursts of supernatural energy.

Imagine bustling temple towns bathed in golden sunlight, where Dev’s fiery Astra powers erupt in crimson and gold, countered by Amrita’s flowing, sapphire-hued Jalastra. Their synergy in battle is breathtaking—Dev’s flames carving paths through enemies, while Amrita’s water shields protect the vulnerable.

Yet, beneath their heroism lies a growing tension: Dev’s hunger for power begins to eclipse his altruism. He dreams of using the Brahmāstra to reshape the world, believing he can bring justice to a flawed society. Amrita, sensing his descent into hubris, pleads with him to honor the Brahmansh’s code, but Dev’s ambition blinds him.

A pivotal moment arrives when Dev uncovers a hidden truth: the Brahmāstra can be split into three fragments, each amplifying its wielder’s power.

Driven by a desire to protect Amrita and prove his vision, Dev defies the Brahmansh and seeks to unite the fragments. This act of rebellion sets off a chain of events that leads to tragedy. The Brahmansh elders, led by Guru (Amitabh Bachchan), confront Dev, resulting in a cataclysmic battle.

Dev’s attempt to wield the Brahmāstra’s full power backfires, imprisoning him in stone and leaving Amrita to face the consequences alone. Her fate—revealed in Part One as Shiva’s mother—remains shrouded in mystery, with hints that she sacrificed herself to protect the Brahmāstra from falling into the wrong hands.

The Present: Shiva’s Battle Against Destiny

In the present, Shiva and Isha are no longer the naive lovers of Part One. The weight of Shiva’s destiny as the Agni Astra and protector of the Brahmāstra has hardened him.

The Āstraverse expands as the couple ventures beyond the Himalayan ashram, seeking answers about Dev’s return and the dark forces rallying under his banner.

The resurrection of Dev, triggered by Junoon’s actions in Part One, has destabilized the Astras’ balance, awakening rogue Astra wielders who pledge allegiance to Dev’s vision of a new world order.

Shiva’s journey is both external and internal. Externally, he faces Dev’s growing army, led by a charismatic yet ruthless new antagonist (speculated to be a major Bollywood star, possibly Vijay Devarakonda or Hrithik Roshan).

This antagonist wields the Vayu Astra (air weapon), creating storms and tempests that challenge Shiva’s fiery powers. Battle sequences are envisioned as spectacles of elemental fury: Shiva’s flames clash with whirlwinds, illuminating night skies with bursts of red and silver.

The action choreography, building on Part One’s acclaimed VFX, will push boundaries, with scenes set in crumbling ancient temples, storm-lashed coastlines, and a futuristic Mumbai skyline where the Brahmāstra’s energy distorts reality itself.

Internally, Shiva grapples with his connection to Dev. Learning that Dev is his father shatters his sense of identity, forcing him to question whether he’s destined to follow in Dev’s destructive footsteps.

Isha becomes his anchor, her unwavering belief in love and duty grounding Shiva’s turmoil. Their romance, criticized in Part One for being rushed, is deepened here through shared trials.

A poignant scene might see them standing atop a cliff, the Brahmāstra’s glow pulsing in the distance, as Isha reminds Shiva that love—not just romantic, but for humanity—can overcome even the darkest legacy.

The Brahmansh, now led by a weathered Guru, plays a crucial role. Amitabh Bachchan’s commanding presence anchors the narrative, as Guru reveals the history of Dev’s betrayal and the Brahmāstra’s true power.

New characters, such as Savitri Devi (Dimple Kapadia) and younger Brahmansh members like Sher (Gurfateh Pirzada), add layers to the group’s dynamics, blending wisdom with youthful energy.

A rumored cameo by Shah Rukh Khan, reprising his role as Vanarastra wielder Mohan, could bridge the past and present, offering Shiva guidance through a vision or relic.

The Clash of Titans: Father vs. Son

The heart of Part Two lies in the confrontation between Shiva and Dev. Dev, now fully awakened, is no mere villain. Ranveer Singh’s rumored casting promises a performance of magnetic intensity—Dev is a tragic figure, driven by love for Amrita and a warped sense of justice.

His vision to wield the Brahmāstra to remake the world clashes with Shiva’s mission to protect it. Their dynamic is layered with emotional complexity: Dev sees Shiva as his legacy, a son who could join him, while Shiva sees Dev as a cautionary tale of power unchecked.

The climax is set to be a visual and emotional tour de force. Picture a Himalayan fortress, its spires piercing the heavens, where the Brahmāstra’s fragments are reunited.

The sky churns with apocalyptic energy as Shiva, wreathed in flames, faces Dev, whose Brahmāstra-infused powers manifest as a storm of light and shadow.

Their battle is not just physical but philosophical—Shiva argues for balance and protection, while Dev champions radical change. The choreography blends martial arts, elemental powers, and CGI spectacle, with the Brahmāstra’s energy warping the environment, creating rifts in reality that threaten to consume both fighters.

Amrita’s legacy looms large. Flashbacks reveal her final act—sealing the Brahmāstra to protect Shiva, at the cost of her life. This revelation fuels Shiva’s resolve, but also Dev’s rage, as he blames the Brahmansh for her death.

A twist might involve Amrita’s Jalastra lingering as a spectral force, aiding Shiva in a critical moment, symbolizing her enduring love.

The climax could end with Shiva subduing Dev, not through destruction, but by channeling the Brahmāstra’s creative energy to heal rather than destroy, setting up the trilogy’s final chapter.

Themes and Symbolism: Fire, Water, and the Human Spirit

Brahmāstra: Part Two weaves a rich tapestry of themes drawn from Indian mythology and universal human struggles. The interplay of fire (Agni) and water (Jala) symbolizes the balance between creation and destruction, passion and serenity.

Dev and Amrita’s love story mirrors Shiva and Isha’s, posing the question: can love redeem or destroy? The Brahmāstra itself is a metaphor for power—its potential to uplift or annihilate, depending on the wielder’s heart.

The film explores legacy and choice. Shiva’s fear of inheriting Dev’s flaws reflects the universal struggle to forge one’s path amidst parental shadows.

The Brahmansh represents tradition, while Dev’s rebellion critiques blind adherence to it, creating a nuanced dialogue about progress versus preservation. These themes are grounded in Indian philosophy, with references to Vedic texts and the concept of dharma (duty), making the Āstraverse a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern storytelling.

The Visual and Sonic Spectacle

Visually, Part Two aims to surpass Part One’s groundbreaking VFX. Ayan Mukerji’s collaboration with Star Studios and international VFX teams promises a world where ancient temples glow with otherworldly energy, and battles unfold in surreal dimensions.

The past timeline will evoke a mythic India with vibrant marketplaces and sacred rivers, while the present introduces futuristic elements, like a Mumbai transformed by Astra energy. The color palette—fiery reds, cool blues, and cosmic golds—will amplify the elemental clashes.

Pritam’s soundtrack, a highlight of Part One, returns with soaring anthems and Sanskrit-infused background scores. Songs like Kesariya set a romantic tone, but new tracks will likely blend traditional Indian instruments with electronic beats, mirroring the film’s fusion of myth and modernity.

Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics will weave poetry into the narrative, capturing the emotional stakes of love and sacrifice.

The Road to 2026: Anticipation and Challenges

Ayan Mukerji’s vision for Part Two is ambitious, with production delayed by his work on War 2 (set for release in August 2025). Ranbir Kapoor has confirmed that pre-production will begin post-War 2, with filming slated for late 2025 or early 2026.

The script, informed by audience feedback from Part One, aims to address criticisms about dialogue and pacing, promising a tighter narrative and deeper character development.

The casting of Dev remains a hot topic, with Ranveer Singh’s reported signing generating buzz, though Vijay Devarakonda and Hrithik Roshan were also considered. Deepika Padukone’s confirmed role as Amrita adds star power, while Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor continue as the emotional core.

The Āstraverse is poised to redefine Indian cinema, blending Bollywood’s emotional intensity with Hollywood’s visual scale. Part Two must balance its sprawling mythology with intimate human stories, a challenge Mukerji is well-equipped to tackle, given Part One’s commercial success (grossing ₹431 crore worldwide).

Fans await a sequel that not only expands the Āstraverse but also delivers a soulful, action-packed epic that honors its roots in Indian mythology.

Conclusion: A Cosmic Legacy Unfolds

Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev is more than a sequel—it is a journey into the heart of power, love, and destiny. By weaving Dev’s tragic past with Shiva’s heroic present, Ayan Mukerji crafts a narrative that resonates with the eternal struggle between light and shadow.

As the Brahmāstra’s power threatens to reshape reality, the film asks: can we rise above our flaws to protect what matters most? With its breathtaking visuals, emotional depth, and mythological grandeur, Part Two promises to be a cinematic milestone, setting the stage for the trilogy’s climactic finale in 2027.

The Āstraverse beckons, and the fire of Dev’s legacy burns brighter than ever.