Fall greets Yoo Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) with every sign of comfort: a beautiful wife (Son Ye-jin), two cute kids, two lovely dogs, and a grill full of eels sizzling in the soft seasonal light. After 25 years at Solar Paper, he’s secure, respected, and certain of his place in the world. Until an American acquisition dissolves that certainty in a single corporate memo. Downsizing, he’s told. Nothing personal. “No other choice.”

Man-su promises his family he’ll rebound in three months; thirteen months later, he’s still sending résumés into the void, his confidence calcifying into dread. Park Chan-wook seizes this premise and spins it into one of his most merciless comedies, a film that earns comparisons to 

 (2019) while taking a far bleaker, more deranged route. As Man-su’s job prospects shrivel, his logic sharpens to a lethal point: if the market won’t make room for him, he’ll simply remove the competition. Literally.

IFFI 2025 Short Takes: 'No Other Choice' Turns Layoff Panic Into Park Chan-wook’s Funniest, Fiercest Thriller

There's no cooling-off period after a blockbuster, especially if it's by a formidable filmmaker-actor duo. 

has learnt that an ambitious reunion between 

and Dhanush might be on the cards, with the possibility of the duo exploring a large-scale period action romance mounted on an epic canvas.

The pairing of Rai and Dhanush, which has grown into one of the most exciting creative alliances in recent years, may be back for another feature after the huge success of their last collaboration, 

While details remain tightly under wraps and no official announcement has been made yet, sources suggest that the project, if it materialises, will mark a "significant evolution" of their creative partnership. 

"The intent is to blend emotion with spectacle - staying true to Aanand L Rai’s signature storytelling sensibility while embracing a grander cinematic scope. For Dhanush, whose career choices continue to balance mass appeal with artistic credibility, a period action romance could open up an entirely new cinematic terrain," sources said.

Rai and Dhanush first collaborated on the 2013 blockbuster 

which co-starred Sonam Kapoor. The duo then returned for the romantic drama 

which released on streaming during the pandemic. Their last December theatrical outing, 

, emerged as a blockbuster, grossing over ₹164 crore globally. The intense romantic-drama, written by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav, also featured Kriti Sanon.

Insiders note how Rai’s presence in the industry has steadily grown over the years, as a filmmaker and a producer who backs distinctive voices and ambitious narratives under his banner and his recent successes underscore "a clear confidence in scale without sacrificing emotional depth, making the idea of a period epic feel like a natural and bold next step."

While both camps remain silent on the development, an official confirmation is awaited on the project.

Exclusive | Aanand L Rai Might Plan an Epic Period Action Romance with Dhanush After the Success of 'Tere Ishk Mein'

Actor Riccha Sinha is set to headline a British psychological thriller, marking her first on-screen acting project. Shot in the United Kingdom, with key portions of the feature filmed at Pinewood Studios, the film operates within a restrained psychological register, focusing on intimacy, perception, and emotional tension.

Directed by Abbie Lucas and produced by Tim Kent and Nathan Castelo, the film centres on Anya, a young woman navigating life in a new city. The role places Sinha at the centre of the narrative, with the film's tension carried primarily through performance rather than plot mechanics.

Sinha describes the project as an important step in understanding acting as a discipline rather than a moment of visibility, particularly in a film that leaves much unsaid and allows tension to emerge through behaviour and presence.

"What drew me to the project was its restraint," Sinha says. "The character doesn't explain herself. You have to sit with what she's feeling, and that responsibility stays with you long after the scene ends."

In the project, she stars opposite Davide Tucci, whose work spans European cinema as well as international productions, including 

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

. Producer Tim Kent's recent credits include 

While Sinha's acting work is at an early stage, her career has unfolded across international cultural platforms, including the Venice Film Festival, which she attended by invitation from Armani Beauty. She was also present at Giorgio Armani's One Night Only Venezia and amfAR — experiences that she says coincided with her decision to pursue acting with greater focus and intention.

For Sinha, the move into films is guided by patience rather than momentum. "I'm interested in building a body of work that feels honest," she says. "The goal isn't immediacy, it's longevity." The film is currently in post-production.

Riccha Sinha Takes the Lead in British Psychological Thriller Shot at Pinewood Studios

 as Mellisa, extending the carefully paced character introductions for one of 2026’s most closely watched Indian films. The reveal follows earlier posters introducing 

Set against the backdrop of a 1960s-style party, the image presents Vasanth moving through a crowded, celebratory space with deliberate composure. The framing suggests a character marked less by spectacle than by control — alert, observant and seemingly untouched by the surrounding excess.

 (2019), has steadily built a reputation for interior, emotionally precise performances. She won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Kannada for 

Sapta Saagaradaache Ello: Side A and Side B

 (2023), and has since appeared across industries, including Telugu, Tamil and pan-Indian projects. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, she has often spoken about approaching performance through restraint rather than flourish.

 is directed by Geetu Mohandas, whose previous work includes the critically acclaimed 

. In a statement accompanying the reveal, Mohandas described Vasanth as an actor drawn to process rather than display, noting her habit of documenting observations and internal rhythms between takes — an approach that feeds into what the director calls a “layered” screen presence.

The film marks a significant step for Kannada cinema on the global stage. Written by Mohandas and Yash, 

 is being shot simultaneously in Kannada and English, with dubbed versions planned in multiple Indian languages. Yash, who rose to pan-Indian prominence with the 

 films, leads the project both as actor and co-writer.

Backed by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, 

 features a technical team that includes cinematographer Rajeev Ravi, composer Ravi Basrur and action director J.J. Perry. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on 19 March 2026, timed to coincide with a major festive holiday window.

First Look of Rukmini Vasanth as Mellisa from Yash’s 'Toxic' Revealed

According to several reports, singer Chinmayi’s version of the song ‘Emkoney’ from the upcoming film 

 has now been replaced by another version. The film’s director, Mohan G Kshatriyan, reportedly confirmed this news. The makers also said that the Chinmayi version will not be a part of the film when it releases later this year. The director had earlier expressed his disappointment when Chinmayi had apologised for singing in a film that was being directed by him. 

In December, Singer Chinmayi Sripada posted an apology for singing a song that belonged in the controversial director Mohan G's film that went against her ideologies. She had posted a note on X, explaining how she had not known which film she was signing for when she recorded for Ghibran. The name of the song is ‘Emkoney’, which is part of Mohan G's next Tamil film titled 

Her note read, “Ghibran is a composer I have known for 18 years

 since my jingle singing days. When his office called for this song, | just went and sang as I usually do. If I remember right, Ghibran wasn't present during this session—I was given an idea on how to sound tonally for the song; I finished the recording, and I left. It is only now that I have got to learn about the context. If I had known beforehand, I would never have collaborated because the ideologies are in complete contradiction to mine.”

, although a box-office hit, became controversial for the film’s anti Dalit themes. His other projects include 

 stars Richard Rishi and Rakshana Indusudan and is set for release on January 23, 2026, continuing from the first Draupathi film but focusing on 14th-century South Indian history, featuring villains like Chirag Jani as Mohd Bin Tughlaq.

'Draupathi 2' Issue: Chinmayi Replaced From Album? 

 audience, particularly younger viewers, showed up for love stories that... 

. While the year was dominated by extremes, from the thunder of 

, running parallel to the chaos was a streak of emotionally charged, angsty love stories that leaned into heartbreak, trauma and music-heavy longing.

collectively reshaped the conversation at the box-office as they presented a heady cocktail of sad songs, broken hearts, and sold-out shows.

The four films amassed a cumulative worldwide gross of nearly ₹900 crore, with 

alone contributing a whopping ₹570 crore. To understand why this shift had been building — and why lighter rom-coms are collapsing—

spoke to Shailesh Kapoor, Founder and CEO of Ormax Media, which closely tracked audience behaviour across the genre last year.

"There has been a steady appetite for emotionally intense love stories,” Kapoor says. “What hasn’t really worked is the rom-com template. The light, glossy, multiplex-oriented romance that borrows heavily from a Western grammar.” 

Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday’s youthful rom-com 

, for instance, is headed for a disappointing finish, folding under ₹40 crore.

Among last year’s biggest success stories, 

, both landing a dream Bollywood debut, the film emerged as the highest-grossing romantic title of Hindi cinema ever.

is actually a softer film compared to the others. But it shares a thematic commonality — the protagonist going through heartbreak, emotional conflict, and personal loss. That emotional spine is what connects it to this broader trend," Kapoor notes.

That connective tissue—emotional vulnerability rather than escapist fantasy—also defined Milap Zaveri’s 

starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, and Aanand L Rai’s 

fronted by Dhanush and Kriti Sanon. Both films posted strong theatrical numbers, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets, with combined global grosses estimated at ₹280 crore-plus.

Kapoor argues that this moment didn’t come out of nowhere.

worked so well on streaming in 2024, despite being a small-budget show with no fancy locations, it was already telling us something. Then 

doing well again only reinforced the idea that audiences were missing this genre,” Kapoor notes.

At the heart of it all looms the long shadow of 

. Released in 2019, the Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed film rewired mainstream Hindi romance by pushing it into messier and what the industry calls “edgier” territory. The Shahid Kapoor-Kiara Advani starrer was rewarded with a staggering global box office of over ₹380 crore.

“The principle is the same,” Kapoor explains. “You’re looking at male protagonists who are broken, volatile, emotionally exposed. These love stories don’t necessarily end well, or they pass through trauma before finding any resolution. Young male audiences, especially, connect deeply with that.”

If one looks at the kind of music that has worked over the years, Kapoor notes, they are very "Vishesh Films-Emraan Hashmi" coded. “In those songs, heartbreak was always central, even when the films weren’t strictly romances, the music carried that angst.”

In 2025, film soundtracks became a genius new-age marketing tool. Songs from 

lived on reels for weeks before release, embedding themselves into youth culture long before the opening day, he adds.

“Music has become a part of the narrative ecosystem. When a film targets youth, and the music clicks, you see it translate directly into strong first-day numbers.” That explains why these films opened aggressively, even as more family-oriented titles took time to grow. According to Kapoor, the geography of Hindi cinema has also shifted post-pandemic.

“Dependence on Mumbai and Delhi multiplexes has reduced. Smaller towns, single-screen markets like UP, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are contributing significantly now — and this kind of content works very well there,” Kapoor notes.

The irony, perhaps, is that while rom-coms once dominated the urban imagination, it’s heartbreak that now feels more universal. As Kapoor puts it, none of these films have yet reached 

levels in terms of music or storytelling. “But if something really solid comes along, there’s no reason a film in this space can’t do ₹500–600 crore.”

Heartbreak High: How ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ Used Music, Reels and Anguish to Rule the Box-Office

After what has been dubbed a particularly low phase in his career, 

 has finally returned with a hit. His film 

, which was released during this Christmas, has earned more than Rs.100 crore in just 10 days of its release. The film is directed by Akhil Sathyan and also features Nivin Pauly’s regular collaborator Aju Varghese and Riya Shibu in a role that had grabbed a lot of attention. This also makes 

the sixth fastest Malayalam film to hit the ₹100 crore mark and the fourth film of 2025 to do so, after 

Nivin Pauly’s last theatrical release was 

. He was also seen making his solo OTT debut with 

. The actor’s last theatrical hit was 2019’s Dhyan Sreenivasan’s comedy film 

 has also become Nivin’s highest-grossing film until now. It breaks the record set by his film 

which had become the second-highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time when it was released. 

In November 2025, Nivin Pauly shared an update on his film 

, directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan, confirming that he has finished his portion in the Raghava Lawrence action thriller. He is said to be playing the villain in the film, which is a part of 

Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Lokesh Cinematic Universe, or LCU

. He shared some photos from the set of the film in which Nivin is playing Twin Fish Walter. Raghava Lawrence acts in the titular character of Benz, and actor Samyuktha is also part of the cast.  While Kanagaraj is not directing this instalment, he remains creatively involved, co-writing and co-producing the film under his G Squad banner.

’s Arun Varma and scripted by acclaimed duo Bobby and Sanjay.

Nivin Pauly’s 'Sarvam Maya' Strikes Box Office Gold, Mints ₹100 Crore

According to recent reports, Tamil star Nayanthara has been confirmed to star in veteran director Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s next film with Malayalam superstar Mammootty. This could be seen as Nayanthara’s return to the non-commercial cinema space after several years. In Malayalam, Nayanthara had once backed films like Shyamaprasad’s 

 in 2010, which dealt with the complex theme of the Electra Complex. No official statement from the production company has been released regarding Nayanthara’s signing. She will next be seen in the Chiranjeevi-starrer 

, directed by Anil Ravipudi in a Sankranthi release. 

In December last year, following weeks of speculation, it was Adoor who confirmed that his next film would be with the star. He was speaking on the sidelines of a literary event organised in Kerala, and he confirmed this to On Manorama. He went on to add that he kept thinking of Mammootty as he worked on this script and said he couldn’t picture anyone else in that role. He also said that Mammootty had not only agreed to act in the movie but that he would also produce their collaboration under his production company, Mammootty Kampany. 

 (The Servile) all the way back in 1993. Vidheyan had won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam and the Best Actor Award for Mammootty. Adoor’s last feature film release was Dileep-Kavya Madhavan’s Pinneyum (Once Again) in 2016. 

As for Adoor, he was most recently in the news for having made several controversial remarks during the closing ceremony of Kerala’s film conclave in Thiruvananthapuram in August. He is reported to have spoken about the State Government’s initiative to promote SC/ST and women filmmakers and called for better training before being allotted funds.

Mammootty was last seen in the serial killer thriller 

, while Nayanthara was seen in Netflix sports drama 

Nayanthara To Join Mammootty In Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Film: Reports 

A screen collab no one saw coming might be brewing. Superstar 

is reportedly in talks with acclaimed director duo Raj and DK for an action comedy film. Though the discussions are said to be at an "initial stage," it has been reported that the filmmaker duo, best known for their streaming hit 

is keen to mount the film on a massive scale—if the collaboration materialises.

quoted a source who stated that Khan has heard the basic idea of the film and has already shown interest in it. "It’s an action-comedy, but it will also present Khan in a slightly different space. However, he is yet to give his final nod to the project.”

The publication reported that timelines are currently being discussed, keeping in mind the superstar's packed slate. If Khan comes on board, the makers are looking to take the film to the floors by the end of 2026. 

"At the moment, it’s all about aligning creatively and locking the script," the source added. On streaming, Raj and DK have directed shows 

The duo also wrote and produced the 2018 blockbuster horror comedy 

A Gentleman, Happy Ending, Go Goa Gone, Shor in the City 

Khan, meanwhile, is gearing up for the military action drama 

Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film also stars Chitrangda Singh, Abhilash Chaudhary, Ankur Bhatia and others.

The film is based on 'India’s Most Fearless', the bestselling book by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, chronicling the Galwan Valley confrontation between Indian and Chinese forces in June 2020 — one of the most severe border clashes in over four decades. 

Salman Khan in Talks With 'The Family Man' Makers Raj and DK for an Action-Comedy Film: Reports

Universal Music India (UMI), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), has entered into a definitive agreement with 

 and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment, taking a significant minority stake in the film and digital content studio.

Under the agreement, which values Excel at ₹2,400 crores, UMI will become a significant minority shareholder in Excel with a 30% equity stake. The deal will provide the foundation for Excel to accelerate its growth and further enhance UMI’s position in the Indian market.

Under the terms of the agreement, UMG will gain global distribution rights for all future original soundtracks created for projects owned or controlled by Excel. The alliance also includes the launch of a dedicated Excel music label, to be globally distributed by UMG. 

Universal Music Publishing Group will also become Excel’s exclusive music publishing partner, creating opportunities for existing UMG and UMI artists and repertoire to be included in Excel’s future productions.

Devraj Sanyal – Chairman and CEO of Universal Music India & South Asia and SVP of Strategy, Africa, Middle East and Asia – will serve on Excel Entertainment’s Board of Directors as part of the agreement. Excel founders Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar will continue to shape creative direction and content decisions.

Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, Founders of Excel Entertainment, said, the coutry's entertainment landscape continues to grow from strength to strength, and this is the "perfect moment" to build meaningful global collaborations. 

"We’re excited to partner with UMG in what we believe will be a truly creative and transformative alliance—one that unlocks fresh opportunities for artists and repertoire across music, film, and emerging formats. Together, we aim to take culturally rooted stories to the world," the duo said in a joint statement.

Vishal Ramchandani, CEO, Excel Entertainment, added that the partnership with UMG will mark a pivotal step in their  journey to broaden creative opportunities and tell Indian stories with a global lens. 

Adam Granite, UMG’s CEO of Africa, Middle East and Asia (AMEA), said the move strengthens UMG’s position in India and added, "Original soundtracks remain at the heart of India’s fast-growing music market, with Indian listeners showing a growing desire to access more music in that genre."

Noting how Akhtar and Sidhwani built an exceptionally impressive business, Devraj Sanyal said the team is thrilled to be working with them on the "next phase of their journey."

Excel, founded in 1999 by Sidhwani and Akhtar, has released more than 40 films and original scripted series shows, beginning with the groundbreaking feature 

Universal Music India Takes Minority Stake in Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment; Deal Values Studio at ₹2,400 Crore

 has reportedly been cast as the female lead opposite Ranveer Singh in the upcoming post-apocalyptic zombie thriller 

. If true, this will mark the Bollywood debut of Priyadarshan, who rose to nationwide prominence with the blockbuster

is expected to go on floors between July and August this year and is being developed as a large-scale genre project led by Ranveer Singh. It is being directed by filmmaker Jai Mehta as his feature debut. Mehta previously co-directed the series 

 and also directed the seabound thriller 

is expected to place a strong emphasis on world-building, with the narrative reportedly following the protagonist’s struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic setting. According to a report in 

, Jai Mehta will “reimagine Mumbai in *The Hunger Games’ style set-up” for the film. The report added, “Large sections of the city will be digitally aged to give it an abandoned look. Parts of the film will be shot in Mumbai, before moving to other locations.”

Ranveer Singh fronted the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 with 

. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film featured Singh as an Indian spy who infiltrates a Pakistani criminal gang based in Karachi. The espionage thriller opened to strong numbers and sustained momentum across weeks, grossing over ₹1200 crore at the global box-office. 

 While the reason behind his departure wasn't confirmed, a Mid-Day report claimed that the actor's commitment to an apparent additional shooting days of 

 was one of the roadblocks, apart from "a hike in his remuneration" after the historic success of 

Kalyani Priyadarshan, meanwhile, has signed to do a solo Tamil film

‘Pralay’: Kalyani Priyadarshan To Play Female Lead In Ranveer Singh’s Zombie Film

 is used to being watched. As an actor, that is the job. As a star whose brand is built on physical precision and control, it is also the expectation. But Shroff says the sharpest eyes on him are not in the audience. They are at home.

Speaking about feedback, the actor revealed that his mother, Ayesha Dutt, and his sister, Krishna Shroff, are “brutally honest” critics. Their honesty, he said, can sting—but it also keeps him grounded in what matters. “When they say the script has failed you, it hurts, but it’s a compliment as well,” he said, explaining that they are not blaming his effort as much as calling out a larger problem.

But the feedback that has changed him most is not about a bad film. It is about a bad habit.

Shroff admitted he still has to learn “to internalise things” and “not be as superficial.” He offered an example that is almost uncomfortably specific, revealing how vanity can quietly creep into performance.

“If I’m shooting a song—a romantic song—I need to be invested in my co-actor as opposed to being invested in myself,” he said. “A lot of times I’d be angling my face in a certain way while looking at her, just so I get the light hitting my jawline properly or taking the light into my eyes a little better, as opposed to giving her that energy.”

It is the kind of confession most actors avoid, because it pulls back the curtain on the calculation behind a “perfect” frame. But Shroff described it as a creative failure, not a cosmetic one. If the attention is on one’s own face, it is not fully on the other actor. If it is on angles and lighting, it is not fully on emotion.

That is why his family’s feedback lands. They notice the shift instantly. Asked if they can point out exactly where vanity creeps in, Shroff agreed. “Because they know me. They know me so well,” he said. When it was put to him directly that he is thinking about himself in that moment, he did not deny it. “About myself, yeah.”

His sister’s version of the note is even blunter. “My sister says you need to be a little less selfish at times,” he said, accepting the criticism with a shrug. “Which is fair.”

Shroff also acknowledged the irony. Acting is one of the few professions where appearance is part of the performance. “It’s our job, in a way, to focus on the aesthetic part of it as well and to look a certain way,” he said. “It does have its pros and cons.”

The growth, he suggests, lies in knowing where that awareness ends. There is a difference between being camera-ready and being present—and his mother and sister, he says, keep reminding him to choose the latter.

Tiger Shroff Says Vanity Can Creep Into His Performances, Reveals His Family Calls It Out

 has existed in that frustrating space where a project is announced, discussed, remembered—and then left hanging. 

Asked what he is most excited about next, the actor did not hesitate. “I’m really, really looking forward to 

Shroff acknowledged just how long the film has been waiting in the wings. “It was six years ago, funnily enough,” he recalled, referring to when the project was first announced. “And then, for whatever reasons, it sort of didn’t take off.”

In the intervening time, his career has become synonymous with action—often in ways that overlap with what audiences associate with the 

 brand. Shroff admitted that the character’s iconic energy has already echoed through his filmography. “One 

 after another came and that’s pretty much 

 in its soul,” he said, adding that “a lot of the key scenes from 

That history is precisely why this return matters. Shroff is not presenting 

 as a simple revival, but as a rebuild. “Now that it’s finally back into my life, [we’re] revamping it in a very big way and in a very different way,” he said.

 as unfamiliar terrain—not just another extension of what he has already done. “It’s a very different terrain for me. It’s a very different character for me. I’m a lot more mature in that,” he said, suggesting the long delay may have given him time to grow into the part.

Fans are also likely to be intrigued by his hint that the reinvention extends to his on-screen look. “I’m hoping people like my look,” Shroff said. “It’s something that I’m experimenting with—taking risks—and it’s not exactly what you would expect from a 

He also confirmed that an older reference point for his physical brief has been dropped. When reminded of a past comment about being designed to look like a “silverback gorilla,” Shroff laughed it off as an early idea that no longer applies. “That was the initial reference,” he said. Asked if it had changed, he replied simply: “That’s changed now.”

After six years of delays, Shroff is not selling certainty as much as intent. 

 is happening, he says—and it is being rebuilt with enough difference to surprise those who think they know what a Tiger Shroff action film looks like.

Tiger Shroff Confirms ‘Rambo’ Is Back After Six Years, Promises a Reinvented Action Film

After releasing a poster in November, the team behind the Pan-Indian film 

has released a 'dual first look' poster featuring both its lead stars, 

In these posters, we see the lower half of both actors in what appears to be the same backdrop. We do not see either of their faces from what it looks like, they are on their way out after causing havoc. Where Pepe’s character is seen holding a furious dog and an automatic rifle, Suresh's character holds a bag in her left hand while clutching a blood-stained, cracked wine glass with the other. 

is directed by Rishi Sivakumar and is expected to be an action-adventure. Slated to begin filming soon this year, the film will release in five languages, including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. Its music is by Harshavardhan Rameshwar, who had worked on Ranbir Kapoor’s 

The cinematography is by George C. Williams (known for 

. In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actor spoke about his desire to look beyond action films. After a series of hits such as 

, he finds a pattern in the dozens of scripts coming his way today. 

“The background of the stories may vary, but the bottom line is the same,” Pepe said. “Most of them do not look beyond action when it's for me.”  He admitted to enjoying performing action roles, but has become a bit bored with the lack of variety in the characters coming his way. “I’m not interested in being called an action hero. I came into movies to play the lover boy. If you look at my short films, all of them are rom-coms with so much flirting. But now, my career is only fighting,” he joked.

'Thottam': Keerthi Suresh-Anthony Pepe’s Film Drops Intriguing 'Dual First Look'

 is set to return to one of his most enduring roles, with a sequel to the 2001 political drama 

 officially in development. The confirmation comes from producer Deepak Mukut, who said the actor will both co-produce and reprise his role in 

, nearly 25 years after the original film’s release.

“Yes, the sequel is in the works, and we are producing the film together,” Mukut told 

, adding that Kapoor’s on-screen return is assured. “Of course, he will,” he said when asked whether the actor would also feature in the film.

However, Mukut cautioned that the project remains in its early stages. Speaking separately to 

, he said discussions are ongoing and that details regarding the cast, director and production schedule are yet to be finalised. “It is too early to say anything about it since several discussions are going on,” he said. “We will announce it shortly. It is a legacy project. It’s been almost 25 years. Every film has its own destiny.”

, directed by S. Shankar, told the story of Shivaji Rao, a television journalist who publicly challenges a corrupt chief minister during a live debate and is unexpectedly sworn in as chief minister for a day. The film starred Kapoor in the lead, with Rani Mukerji, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal and Saurabh Shukla in prominent roles. Amrish Puri’s turn as the authoritarian chief minister Balraj Chauhan remains one of the film’s most cited performances.

 was itself a remake of Shankar’s 1999 Tamil blockbuster 

, and while it received mixed reviews on release, it has since gained a strong afterlife through television reruns and online circulation, with Kapoor’s performance frequently singled out by audiences.

 will only move forward once the script is fully locked. Reports suggesting that Kapoor had acquired the film’s rights were clarified by Mukut, who said the sequel would be jointly produced rather than independently mounted by the actor.

Anil Kapoor Returning for 'Nayak' Sequel Nearly 25 Years After Original

 on Monday announced that it has renewed its 

for a second season. Headlined by Kunal Kemmu, the show followed the story of a single father navigating parenthood, family dynamics, and the everyday absurdities of life.

—also starring Prajakta Koli, Manoj Pahwa, Ayesha Raza, Neha Dhupia, Suhail Nayyar, Dayanand Shetty, Aisha Ahmed, Dhruv Rathee and Isha Talwar—featured in Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows for two weeks. 

Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India, said the aim with season 2 is to bring "even more heart, humour and warmth" to audiences.

“The fact that it’s been trending globally for two weeks since release, and became No. 1 in India so quickly, reminds us why we tell these stories - because honest, simple emotions still connect deeply. We’re so grateful that 

 has resonated as a true family entertainer."

Created and co-produced by Ishita Moitra and Neeraj Udhwani, with Shashank Khaitan serving as the executive producer, and directing alongside Hitesh Kewalya and Udhwani, the series is produced by Aditya Pittie and Samar Khan under the Juggernaut Productions banner. 

was always conceived as a long-form, family-first story that could grow with its characters. Seeing audiences connect so deeply with baby Amul, Gaurav and the Gehlots only reinforces our belief that their story was never meant to end with a single chapter," said Khaitan. "The Gehlots’ journey is far from over, and Season 2 allows us to explore their relationships, challenges and joys with even greater depth and warmth," he added.

The show starred Kemmu as Gaurav "GG" Gehlot, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he adopts a baby soon after his divorce. The show, which dropped on December 12, featured six episodes. It is the first Netflix series that has been renewed for season two this year.

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IFFI 2025 Short Takes: 'No Other Choice' Turns Layoff Panic Into Park Chan-wook’s Funniest, Fiercest Thriller

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