Fans’ response to his 2016 sports biopic MS Dhoni: The Untold Story inspired filmmaker Neeraj Pandey to explore romance as a genre with his upcoming Ajay Devgn and Tabu-starrer film Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, he said during a session with fans on Reddit.

"A lot of people have come to me saying they don't find MS Dhoni as a sports movie but a romantic film, and that is surprising. But a story is a story," he said in response to a Reddit user’s question as to why he chose to make a romantic film.

Explaining the choice of the title Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, Pandey said, "You have to see the film to understand that, releasing on 5th July."

Pandey's career, spanning 16 years, includes acclaimed films like A Wednesday!, Special 26, Baby, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, and the patriotic web franchise Special Ops. However, this time, he explored new territory with a romance featuring Devgn and Tabu as lovers separated for 23 years.

Responding to a question about the film's thrilling elements, Pandey said, "YES," promising the same engaging and edge-of-the-seat experience his fans expect.

When asked about his experience working with Ajay Devgn and Tabu in the film and what can be expected from the “dynamic” duo, the director said, “It was fabulous working with them, and you have to see the film to understand the chemistry.”Pandey’s biggest takeaway from Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha is the quality of staying calm during shoots. “Calmness while shoot. Because the shoot was full of challenges, both mentally and physically, but the team pulled through,” he said in response to a question.

Pandey chose the words ‘life, love and eternal’ to describe the upcoming film. The film, a musical romantic drama set between 2000 and 2023, features an original soundtrack by Oscar-winning music director M.M. Keeravani. The film also stars Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar, and Shantanu Maheshwari in other pivotal roles.