Justin  Rao

Justin Rao

Entertainment Correspondent

Justin Rao writes on all things Bollywood. An alumnus of ACJ, he has keen interest in exploring industry features, long form interviews and spreading arms like Shah Rukh Khan.

MORE FROM JUSTIN RAO

Kunal Kemmu and Chirag Nihalani
Insight

Exclusive | Kunal Kemmu, Chirag Nihalani Launch Production Banner Drongo Films

The banner’s name draws inspiration from the drongo, a fearless forest bird known for its remarkable ability to mimic the calls of other birds.

BY Justin Rao
Aditya Rawal
Interviews

Aditya Rawal on 'Subedaar', Father Paresh Rawal’s Influence and Navigating His Own Path in Bollywood

“There were days the phone didn’t ring,” says the actor as he reflects on his journey, starting with 'Bamfaad' and leading on to 'Daldal' and 'Subedaar'

BY Justin Rao
Hrithik Roshan
Insight

Exclusive | Hrithik Roshan Not Teaming Up With ‘Daaku Maharaaj’ Director Bobby For His Next

The speculation gathered momentum after an interview featuring Telugu screenwriter-producer Kona Venkat began circulating widely on X.

BY Justin Rao
The ongoing disagreement between Ranveer Singh and Excel Entertainment, following his exit from 'Don 3' is also believed to have come up for conversation, though there is no official word on the specifics.
Insight

Exclusive | Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Rajkumar Hirani Attend Key Industry Meeting; Ranveer Singh–Excel Standoff May See Truce

The meeting was also attended by Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Ramesh Taurani, Kumar Mangat and Amritpal Bindra.

BY Justin Rao
Avinash Tiwary and Aanand L Rai
Insight

Exclusive | Avinash Tiwary To Collaborate with Aanand L Rai For His Next?

Industry sources suggest that the actor is in early talks with the filmmaker—known for his signature storytelling sensibility—for a potential collaboration.

BY Justin Rao
A still from 'Ikkis'
Insight

Sriram Raghavan Was ‘Baffled’ by Response to 'Ikkis': 'Many Objected Without Even Watching the Film'

Headlined by Agastya Nanda and featuring Dharmendra in his final screen outing, 'Ikkis' released on January 1.

BY Justin Rao
At the centre of this transition is the Screenwriters Rights Association of India (SRAI), a government-registered copyright society that collects and distributes royalties for writers and producer-owners.
Insight

Exclusive | Inside the High-Stakes Push to Make Indian Screenwriters’ Royalties a Reality

Negotiations, data access and industry alignment will decide how quickly the royalty system for Indian writers becomes real.

BY Justin Rao
Rima Das with her team
Insight

Exclusive | Berlinale 2026: Rima Das’ 'Not a Hero' Wins Crystal Bear Special Mention; Filmmaker Says ‘Recognition is Deeply Meaningful’

This marks Rima Das’ third film at the Berlinale; her previous film, 'Bulbul Can Sing', received a Special Mention in the Generation 14plus section in 2019.

BY Justin Rao
Yash in 'Toxic'
Insight

Exclusive | ‘Toxic’: Zee Music Company, KVN Productions and Yash Strike Landmark Music Rights Deal

While Vishal Mishra has composed four songs, Tanishk Bagchi contributes one track co-composed with Arslan Nizami and Faheem Abdullah (of 'Saiyaara' fame), and Ravi Basrur delivers one song along with the film’s background score.

BY Justin Rao
Representational image
Insight

Indian Screenwriters Sound a Distress Call as New Report Reveals Worsening Pay, Credit Chaos and AI Pressure

Data reveals how most Indian screenwriters feel underpaid, chase dues, and a majority see AI being used as a negotiating tool.

BY Justin Rao
Stills from 'Kohrra 2'
Insight

Exclusive | Building 'Kohrra 2': 800 Auditions, That Lived-In Punjab Feel and Jaideep Ahlawat's Cameo

Created by Sudip Sharma, the Netflix show is headlined by Mona Singh and Barun Sobti.

BY Justin Rao
Still from 'Toxic'
Insight

Exclusive | Yash’s ‘Toxic’ On Track for March 19 Release; Industry Insiders Dismiss Postponement Rumours

Sources dismiss the 'Toxic' postponement chatter as baseless, stating that promotional activities are strategically lined up.

BY Justin Rao
Logos of Dharma Productions, Saregama, Excel Entertainment, and Sikhya Entertainment
Columns

Lights, Camera, Scoop | From Dharma, Saregama and Excel to Sikhya: Why Bollywood’s Studio Consolidation Wave is Happening Now

The Hollywood Reporter India's weekly column 'Lights, Camera, Scoop' unravels the behind-the-scenes madness of the big Bollywood machinery.

BY Justin Rao
Vikram Bhatt's 'Khilone'
Insight

Exclusive | Vikram Bhatt’s ‘Khilone’ Crew Also Allege Non-Payment After ‘1920’ Row: 'It's Been a Nightmare'

The allegations around 'Khilone', which starred Anupriya Goenka, surfaced days after similar complaints were raised by the cast and crew of '1920: Horrors of the Heart'.

BY Justin Rao
A still from the film; Vikram Bhatt
Insight

Exclusive | Actors, Crew Allege Unpaid Dues on Vikram Bhatt’s '1920: Horrors of the Heart' Since 2023: 'No Hope Now'

THR India spoke to the film’s casting director, the parent of a child actor, and other crew members, all of whom allege prolonged delays and incomplete payments.

BY Justin Rao
A still from 'Dahaad'
Insight

Exclusive | ‘Dahaad 2’ Prepares to Roll in Rajasthan as Sonakshi Sinha, Gulshan Devaiah Return

'Dahaad' is created by filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti.

BY Justin Rao
A still from 'Dacoit'
Insight

Exclusive | Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur’s 'Dacoit' Eyes April Release Due to Crowded March Window with 'Dhurandhar 2' and 'Toxic'

'Dacoit' is billed as a gripping story of two former lovers who reunite to pull off a series of robberies in a bid to change their lives.

BY Justin Rao
Ranveer Singh in 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge'
Insight

Exclusive | Ranveer Singh, Aditya Dhar’s 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' Moves to JioHotstar After Netflix Debut

'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' is gearing up for a grand release on March 19.

BY Justin Rao
A still from 'Kennedy'
Insight

Lights, Camera, Scoop | Anurag Kashyap’s 'Kennedy' to Finally Release in India; February Streaming Debut Locked

The Hollywood Reporter India's weekly column 'Lights, Camera, Scoop' unravels the behind-the-scenes madness of the big Bollywood machinery.

BY Justin Rao
According to Ormax Media’s Top 50 Streaming Originals in India: The 2025 Story, the year’s most-watched streaming originals together amassed over 654 million views
Insight

Top 50 Streaming Originals: Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, Amazon MX Player, SonyLIV... Who Won the 2025 OTT Race?

Returning seasons dominated the upper end of the charts, while new originals struggled to break through unless backed by strong branding or star value.

BY Justin Rao