The King is coming. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has announced the release date of his upcoming actioner 

with a new visual unit, which gives a glimpse into the world of the film. The announcement was made by Khan and filmmaker Siddharth Anand to mark the third anniversary of their blockbuster film, 

The teaser shows Khan in a bold, fierce new avatar set against a stunning, snow-clad mountain peak. The clip begins with Khan roaring and then landing on the floor of a building, shattering a glass ceiling. "I am not fear, I am destruction," he thunders as he packs a punch.

"It's time to roar and end the year with fear," the texts on the teaser read, before the release date is revealed as December 24, 2026.

While no other Bollywood film has locked its Christmas 2026 outing so far, 

will face competition with two Hollywood biggies, both arriving a week before the Hindi actioner. December 18 will witness the releases of both 

 (2019) is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with Marvel Studios already unveiling three teasers of their mega spectacle film. Meanwhile, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is also gearing up for the third instalment of the 

franchise, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh Brolin, and Rebecca Ferguson.

Shah Rukh Khan's 'King' Locks December 24 Release; Set to Arrive a Week After 'Avengers: Doomsday' and 'Dune: Part Three'

needed an adrenaline shot, Yungblud delivered it in full throttle. The English musician’s India debut was high-octane, cinematic and unmissable, instantly turning his stage into the festival’s gravitational centre. At Mahalaxmi Racecourse—where mobile networks routinely collapse during the festival—“meet at Yungblud” became the simplest navigation tool of the evening for many.

“This is a dream to be in India. Mumbai, are you ready to jump? Then jump! It feels crazy playing here!” Yungblud said, before unleashing a set packed with emotional urgency and raw abandon. The crowd responded in kind, a sea of bodies bouncing in unison, the energy unmistakably electric as tracks like 'Zombie' and 'Hello Heaven' landed with stadium-sized impact.

The evening, however, wasn’t a one-act affair. Canadian alt-rock favourites Mother Mother delivered mass sing-alongs, particularly with 'Hayloft’. At the same time, Hot Milk brought punchy, sweat-soaked urgency as they played crowd-favourites like ‘Push’ and ‘Breathing Underwater’.

One of the most striking sets came from Prithvi Presents, who offered a rare and resonant counterpoint with an Indian classical ensemble that blended tradition with experimentation. Their electric guitar rendition of “Saare Jahaan Se Achcha”, preceded by thunderous dhol, stood apart as one of day one’s most talked-about moments.

Also among the buzziest acts was the electronic powerhouse Knock2, unleashing festival edits of ‘Dashstar’ and synth favourites The Midnight, that wrapped the evening with neon nostalgia as they played ‘Sunset’ and ‘Los Angeles'.

The night, of course, closed with hip-hop maverick Playboi Carti, making his first appearance in India. The on-ground response to his set—his sound undeniably niche—was not unanimous, but his fans tuned into his hip-hop universe and the chaos worked. Joined by Opium collective Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang, the act turned the main stage into a pulsating arena with tracks like 'FE!N!’, ‘Pop Out’ ‘Timeless’ and 'If Looks Could Kill’.

Other Indian artists also took the stage with Ankur Tewari & The Ghalat Family performing ‘Gehraiyaan’, MU540 firing up the dance arena with ‘USD, e USD’ and Gauley Bhai performing ‘Sanglanga Dooby’. Off-stage, actor Adarsh Gourav and Shanaya Kapoor were spotted at the venue, both currently promoting their upcoming film 

BookMyShow Live has spearheaded Lollapalooza India as the promoter and co-producer for the festival’s Indian edition along with global producers, Perry Farrell and C3 Presents for the third year in a row.

Lollapalooza India 2026: Yungblud, Knock2, Mother Mother, The Midnight Dazzle on Day One

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha and actor Taapsee Pannu have joined hands again for their latest feature, 

, Revathy, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Zeeshan Ayyub, with special appearances by Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Bhargava.

Billed as a relentless investigative thriller, the film unfolds as an intense, power-packed courtroom drama, the makers stated. Pannu, along with Sinha and the film's producers, took to Instagram to share the motion poster.

"We forget. We forgive. But not this time. 80. Per day. Every day. #Assi - An urgent watch, only in cinemas from 20th Feb," the caption read. The motion poster ends with a slate that says the film's trailer has been attached to 

and can be exclusively watched in the cinema.

is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, and Sinha. The film's campaign began a few days ago with two text-only posters that stated: Eighty. Per Day. Every Day. This was followed by another text poster announcing the writer of the film as the highest-paid crew member. The makers, however, haven't revealed who has written the film.

marks the third feature film collaboration of Sinha and Pannu, who have previously worked on two acclaimed titles: the political courtroom drama 

centered on Islamophobia and the bigotry faced by a Muslim family, Assi was long speculated to tackle sensitive topics such as rape, victim-shaming, and societal scrutiny, though official communication from the makers did not shed light on the film’s theme.

Sinha's last theatrical release was Rajkummar Rao-Bhumi Pednekar's 

which was set in the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in India. While Pannu was last seen in Kanika Dhillon's 

, released on Netflix, and her Akshay Kumar-led theatrical outing

Taapsee Pannu Reunites With Anubhav Sinha For 'Assi'; Trailer Attached With 'Border 2'

As Mother Mother prepare for their first-ever visit to India, frontman Ryan Guldemond sounds equal parts curious and excited for what awaits them. The Canadian indie rock band is set to perform at 

this weekend, and while they don’t know exactly what kind of crowd to expect, that uncertainty isn’t dampening the anticipation. 

For Guldemond, the appeal lies in finally meeting listeners who have engaged with their music from thousands of miles away. “We don’t really know what to expect,” he admits, “but even if it’s just one person out there, we’re going to give them all the love that we have.” 

The invitation from the Lollapalooza franchise was an easy yes. Long admired by the band, the festival’s global network from Chicago to Berlin and now Mumbai offered the kind of platform that aligns naturally with Mother Mother’s touring ethos. “We felt very lucky to receive the invitation, and we said yes immediately,” Guldemond says. “We love to travel the world,” making India both a professional milestone and a personal draw.

Live performances have always been central to the band’s identity, and certain tracks continue to anchor their sets. 

, Guldemond says, remains a favourite to perform; a song that consistently finds its emotional footing in front of crowds. 

That same sense of emotional continuity also shapes how he views 'Nostalgia', the band’s latest album, which deliberately blends past and present. The record includes an equal mix of older, previously recorded songs and newly written material. For Guldemond, the album holds “the most of our roots and the most of our current selves,” a practice translating how they group has evolved and grown sonically.

That approach, however, is unlikely to define what comes next. Ryan says he would love for the band’s future recordings to lean firmly into the present. More than stylistic shifts, what he’s most interested in changing is the way the band records. 

After years of multi-tracked, layered studio production, Mother Mother are eager to return to a more collective process, playing together in the same room, creating in the most collaborative sense. 

While the band’s foundations remain rooted in indie and alternative rock, Guldemond points to progressive synths and even heavy metal as sources of inspiration, particularly in terms of structure. He’s drawn to songs where “there are lots of different parts and the time signature changes — it’s not like a pop formula,” allowing compositions to take its more honest course.

Reflecting on the band’s long career, Guldemond is candid about moments when their creative compass wavered. There were periods, he admits, when the group simplified their sound and lyricism in hopes of broader appeal. 

“I wouldn’t call it virality, but we were trying to simplify to connect with a broader audience,” he says. In hindsight, he doesn’t believe that approach truly works. “You almost have to ignore the audience to do what’s best for the audience. You have to be completely selfish about what you’re trying to create, and that’s the stuff people connect with the most.”

As for what the next decade holds, Guldemond avoids grand projections. After more than 20 years of constant touring and recording, he acknowledges that the band may eventually slow their pace, though not their creative output. “We’ve been going hard for 20 years, so maybe we’ll slow down a little — but not too much.” 

Long-term forecasting, he admits, isn’t something he dwells on. “I don’t think too much about the future.”

Beyond the stage, his India trip will extend past Mumbai. After the show, the Mother Mother frontman plans to travel solo to Varanasi and Jaipur, exploring the cities through photography, a parallel creative practice he often turns to while touring. “I like to take pictures,” he says, adding that long photo walks are his preferred way of absorbing new places.

For an artist so deep into his career, the continued reception to 'Nostalgia' still feels surreal. “To make music that strangers enjoy—I don’t think we ever really get used to that feeling,” Guldemond says. What remains constant is a sense of gratitude, and the awareness that every new audience, including the one waiting in India, is something to be met with humility rather than expectation. “We feel very lucky.”

Mother Mother on Their Lollapalooza India Debut: 'Even If It’s Just One Person Out There, We’ll Give Them Everything'

 has officially announced his next film, tentatively titled 

Taking to social media, Wunderbar Films shared the announcement along with the photos. “

D55 - a grand new beginning. Wunderbar Films is happy to associate with RTake Studios for this massive project! Exciting updates loading, soon!”

Though nothing official has been announced yet, it is speculated that Sai Pallavi and Mammooty might also be part of the cast. Dhanush's 

Wunderbar Films, in association with RTake Studios, has replaced Gopuram Cinemas as producers.

Dhanush was last seen in his own directorial, the 

Written by Himanshu Sharma and Neeraj Yadav, 

also starred Prakash Raj, Ravi Kishan and Priyanshu Painyulli. With music by AR Rahman and lyrics by Irshad Kamil, the film was produced by T-Series and Colour Yellow Productions. The film became the first ₹100 crore Bollywood grosser for Dhanush, who had earlier appeared in Hindi titles like 

, which was a direct-to-streaming release during the pandemic.

also learnt that another 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.

 with director Vignesh Raja and actor Mamitha Baiju, awaiting a release date. 

The upcoming film is headed for a summer 2026 release, and is written by Vignesh Raja and Alfred Prakash. Theni Eswar, Sreejith Sarang and Mayapandi will make up the remaining technical crew. Vignesh grew to fame for directing the investigative thriller 

, co-starring Ashok Selvan and Sarathkumar in 2023. 

Director Rajkumar Periasamy, meanwhile, last delivered a blockbuster with 

 starring Sivakarthikeyan, Sai Pallavi and Geetha Kailasam in 2024.

'D55': Dhanush Teams Up With 'Amaran' Director Rajkumar Periasamy

Days after production house Eros International Media Ltd  accused Aanand L Rai and his production banner of unlawfully leveraging the intellectual property of 

₹84 crore lawsuit, the filmmaker has finally broken his silence.

, the filmmaker weighed in on the controversy, dubbing it a part of life and especially business, where "such things keep happening."

"I don't even know why, how, or from where this has come. But I think it is a legal matter, so let the legal people handle it. There is a lawyer on their side, and a lawyer from here will respond too. I don't think it has any meaning."

The publication quoted the filmmaker stating that anyone has the right to say what they want, but he is unfazed by it. "So it's not something to be taken too seriously. It's more for the lawyers to deal with. Since it's a legal matter, I won't speak much about it, but it's nothing serious," Rai said.

It was reported that Eros filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Rai and his production banner, Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP, for "unlawfully leveraging" the intellectual property of 

—the 2013 romantic drama that he directed for Eros—for his film 

, which was released in theatres in November 2025.

Eros claimed that the company holds exclusive rights over 

, "including copyright, registered trademarks, characters, dialogues, and sequel or remake rights" and alleged that "these protected elements were used without consent to suggest a creative or narrative link between the 2013 film and 

Eros and Rai had previously locked horns last year when the former re-released an AI-powered Tamil version of 

which changed the tragic ending to a happier one. Both 

were headlined by Dhanush, who is likely to team up again with Rai for a new film. 

Aanand L Rai Addresses ₹84 Crore Lawsuit Filed By Eros Over 'Raanjhanaa' Copyright Infringement In 'Tere Ishk Mein'

. The title and primary cast of the film were officially announced on January 23, 2026, at a traditional puja ceremony.

The film is produced by Mammootty’s own production banner, Mammootty Kampany. The principal cast includes Mammootty, Indrans, Grace Antony, Sreeshma Chandran, and Zeenath AP. Gopalakrishnan and Mammootty have collaborated in the past on three landmark films: 

1994). The films are regarded as classics in non-mainstream Indian cinema, with 

screening at the Venice Film Festival and 

winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam and the Best Actor Award for Mammootty.

In December last year, Gopalakrishnan had confirmed that his next film would be with the star. He was speaking on the sidelines of a literary event organised in Kerala. 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 it under his production company, Mammootty Kampany. Gopalakrishnan’s last feature film release was Dileep-Kavya Madhavan’s 

There were prior rumours that superstar Nayanthara will also be a part of the film. However, going by the announcement, the actor won’t feature in 

Gopalakrishnan and KV Mohankumar are jointly credited for the story, screenplay, and dialogues for 

. The technical crew comprises cinematographer Shehnand Jalal, editor Praveen Prabhakar, music composer Mujeeb Majeed, and production designer Shajie Naduvil. The sound design is by Kishan Mohan, with Ronex Xavier and George Sebastian handling makeup, and SB Satheesan responsible for costumes.

. He stars alongside Malayalam fellow superstar Mohanlal in the 

. Apart from the two stalwarts, the film also features Fahadh Faasil, Nayanthara, Revathy and Kunchacko Boban.

‘Padayaatra’: Mammootty, Adoor Gopalakrishnan Reunite After 32 Years

Director Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed supernatural thriller 

 has become the first film in history to be nominated for 16 Academy Awards.

, a haunting story about twin brothers confronting the darkness of their past in their hometown, is rooted in Coogler’s own family history and personal experiences. The film has collected

 $368m worldwide, and stars Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld

, and others. The film's nominations include nods for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.

The film has overtaken the record for most nominations, beating the 14 that was shared by 

closely trails Sinners, with 13 nominations.

The Academy Awards ceremony takes place on 15 March and will again be hosted by Conan O’Brien.

Oscars 2026: 'Sinners' Makes History As First Film To Earn 16 Nominations 

did not make it to the final list of nominations in the Best International Feature Film category, ahead of the Oscars 2026. Ashutosh Gowariker's 

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (as it was called then).

Actors Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman announced the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards today.

The five titles which advanced to the final round were Brazil’s 

will take place on March 15, 2026, at the 

shortlisted among 15 titles for the 98th Academy Awards

 in the Best International Feature Film category. 

The film’s story—of two friends from marginalised communities aspiring to become police officers in search of dignity and stability

was inspired by a 2020 New York Times op-ed, ‘Taking Amrit Home’, by noted writer-journalist Basharat Peer. Backed by Karan Johar, 

stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa. 

found itself in strong international company on the shortlist, which included other films such as Argentina’s 

The film began its global journey with its premiere at the 

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)

. The film was released theatrically in September 2025.

 also marked Ghaywan’s return to Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category 10 years after 

(2015). The career milestone was elevated by the presence of executive producer Martin Scorsese. “This was not even part of my bucket list,” Ghaywan admitted. “I'm literally living the dream of every indie-spirited filmmaker.” Scorsese’s detailed feedback, he said, sharpened the film in ways he hadn’t anticipated, “It was surreal.”

Ghaywan chose to ground the actors in the film’s world from the start. “I gave my actors the narration in a village,” he shared, adding, “I wanted them to understand not just the characters, but the environment they come from."

 has missed out on representing India at the Oscars 2026, the film has been critically acclaimed by audiences and critics across the globe.

Oscars 2026: India's 'Homebound' Drops Out Of Academy Awards Race

Actor Rani Mukerji, who completes 30 years in cinema, opened up about her career in a special chat with her long-time filmmaker friend Karan Johar. Ahead of her latest release, 

, Mukerji spoke about her roller-coaster journey at the movies.

At the event, Mukerji became visibly emotional as she thanked Johar for standing by her at a time when producers and distributors were unsure of her voice. 

, which was directed by Vikram Bhatt, produced by Mukesh Bhatt and starred Aamir Khan. Mukerji recalled how the makers decided to dub her voice, a news that was broken to her by Khan.

"It was a decision taken by probably Vikram, Mukesh ji and Aamir, but they made Aamir become the bad cop," said Mukerji, adding how the superstar tried his best to give the situation a logical reasoning, noting that even Sridevi, her favourite actor, had her voice dubbed initially but that didn't stop her from becoming a star.

"It was a little upsetting for me. But obviously, I couldn’t show the fact that I was upset because you need to be a team player whenever you’re part of a film. Even if there are personal disappointments, it doesn’t matter as long as the intent is true for the film," she said.

The actor then thanked Johar, who directed her in his debut 

(1998), for retaining her voice despite getting to know that she was dubbed in 

“Thanks to you, Karan, that I was able to retain my voice," Mukerji said, fighting back tears, as Johar walked up and kissed her on stage.

The filmmaker recalled how distributors had told him that Mukerji's voice "will not be accepted," and added, "You have such a beautiful voice that everyone knows that Rani Mukerji’s distinct voice is one of the big parts of your amazing performances," he added.

gearing up for a January 30 release. The film is directed by Abhiraj Minawala and written by Aayush Gupta of 

Rani Mukerji Gets Emotional Recalling How 'Ghulam' Makers Dubbed Her Voice, and Aamir Khan Became the Bad Cop: 'It Was Upsetting'

and filmmaker Sundar C have reunited for their latest feature titled 

, the makers announced the new film with a teaser, released in Tamil and Telugu.

The debut visual unit of the film—titled 

 in English—begins with Vishal playing a meek husband of Tamannaah, who is watching a daily soap. The leading man on the TV show, played by Yogi Babu, delivers his famous line: "It isn’t enough to be a husband, you have to be the husband of the year!" The character later enters the couple's residence, leaving Tamannaah delighted as Vishal continues to do household chores. 

But then, Tamannaah's simple request to Vishal to make tea for the guest shifts gears, as Yogi Babu witnesses the husband transform into a ninja warrior of sorts when a gang of intruders attacks him. The wife remains oblivious to this—Vishal beating the goons to pulp—believing that he is still making tea for her hero.

Vishal took to X and posted the teaser on Sundar C's birthday. Calling him his "favourite director," Vishal wrote that he was excited to start his 36th feature film, which reunites him with the filmmaker for the fourth time after the grand success of 

The film is produced by Dhiya ACS, and will also mark the third outing of Vishal and Tamannaah. "It feels great to team up after so long!  It’s going to be a supa fun ride with loads to offer from the evergreen mass moviemaker, backed by a stellar star cast including #YogiBabu and a powerful technical team, #DOP: Gopi Amarnaath, #Music: Hiphop Tamizha & many others! Can’t wait to share more updates soon!" Vishal wrote.

The actor also noted how the team has begun filming, writing, "shoot mode on". The film's screenplay and dialogues are penned by Venkatt Ragavan.

'Purushan': Vishal-Sundar C Reunite For New Action Entertainer; Film Also Stars Tamannaah Bhatia

 show a group of architecture students killing time between classes, batting a table-tennis ball, sharpening their wit, half-listening to one another. Instructions are shouted. Complaints are aired. English and Hindi slide into each other without friction. The mood is restless, intimate, casual. Nothing feels very important, which is precisely the point.

“It was set in the School of Architecture a few years before my time, so even then it wasn’t exactly contemporary,” Arundhati Roy tells 

. “But when I think back to it now, I feel there was a kind of freedom there. A lack of ambition combined with a deep concern, in a very young and unfocused way, about what was going on in this country. And honestly, a kind of radical freedom that just does not exist today for young people.” 

Directed and produced by Pradip Krishen and written by Roy in the late 1980s, 

 first aired on Doordarshan in 1989, quietly and late at night, with little publicity and conspicuous censorship. Its afterlife unfolded largely outside official channels. Architecture schools kept it circulating. Film students passed it on. Dialogue was half-remembered, then misremembered, then quoted again.

“Pradip and I were actually the first people to pirate our own film,” Roy says, laughing. “We gave it to a bookshop that had this little video library. KD Singh, who ran the shop, would always greet me with lines from the film.” 

 is returning to public view in a newly restored version, undertaken by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and the Film Heritage Foundation, with a screening scheduled at the Berlinale on February 16. The restoration resists the impulse to modernise the film’s appearance. The grain is retained. The roughness remains visible. The effort, as Krishen and the restoration team say, was not to over-correct. 

“I find it very beautiful that it hasn’t been restored into some glossy technical thing,” Roy says. “You can still see the grain. You can still see how small the budget was, how things were patched together. And I think that’s lovely. The budget was exactly what those characters deserved. There was an integrity to it.” 

The film follows Anand “Annie” Grover through his final year at an architecture college in Delhi, closely modelled on the School of Planning and Architecture. The people around Annie are bright, unfocused, occasionally brilliant and often paralysed by indecision. They talk endlessly, argue passionately and fail spectacularly. The institution demands conformity. The students cannot be asked to conform. They go around “giving it those ones”.  

“‘Giving it those ones’ meant somebody doing their usual thing,” says Krishen. “Our first title was actually 

, because the characters are in their fifth year of architecture school. But we wanted a title recognisable to that generation in Delhi. ‘Giving it those ones’ became a little flag saying: this is about you. There’s a funny story. We shortened it to 

 because people couldn’t get the full title. Then, while shooting, we heard people on the street saying ‘Do Jawans’. So we happily accepted that as an unofficial title too,” he says laughing. 

 wasn’t an angry film. Its dissent was embedded in tone rather than declaration. The resistance was in how people lived. 

“In my non-fiction essays, when I confront something politically, there is anger, and that’s important,” Roy says. “But in fiction and memoir, I refuse to give up nuance. I refuse to give up tenderness. My life and work are full of vanquished, failed, tender people. I celebrate them all the time.” 

Krishen places that tenderness in a generational context. “The counterculture I lived through, and Arundhati lived through it ten years later, was really the late ’60s and early ’70s for me,” he says. “That moment when students were rebelling against the system didn’t carry so much anger as hope and celebration. People were celebrating a different way of looking at the world. Anger wasn’t something Arundhati reached for when she was writing the script. It was really about people who found joy in being themselves and saying we don’t want to conform.” 

That understanding was rooted in Roy’s own experience. In 

, her memoir of childhood and early adulthood, she describes entering the School of Architecture as a form of escape. After years shaped by instability and fear, the campus felt like sanctuary. 

“For me, the School of Architecture was an escape from what was, frankly, a horror story,” Roy says. “I’ve written about how I entered the gates and wanted to kiss the filthy driveway, as though I’d reached the promised land. That place gave me radical freedom. Even today, the study of architecture in that way informs everything I write and design.” 

Language became the film’s most radical gesture. Characters spoke as students in Delhi actually spoke, slipping between Hindi and English, inventing slang, bending grammar for pleasure rather than effect. One word, 

, then ricocheted back into English as “thou-jand”, shorthand for abundance or enthusiasm. To hear it was to recognise yourself. 

“We met Bhaskar Ghose, who was the Director General of Doordarshan at the time, very unusual and much more open than most people heading Doordarshan,” Krishen recalls. “He wanted to showcase new films. Somewhere in that conversation, we said: how would you like a film where people speak like they actually speak, not dialogue-baazi? A mix of English, Hindi, maybe Punjabi if you’re in Delhi.” 

Ghose asked to see a script. Roy mined her memories of being a student at SPA. “We worked very carefully on the language,” Krishen says. “It was deliberate, to look at a subculture faithfully.” 

The first screening, at Max Mueller Bhavan, was electric. “A huge group of architecture students started screaming within minutes: ‘Oh my God, this is us.’ That recognition, that was special.”

The film’s institutional journey proved far shakier. Before 

, a 26-part historical television serial set in Allahabad. After years of work, the project collapsed. In its aftermath, Ghose invited Krishen to pitch something smaller and promised to personally clear it for broadcast. 

That promise dissolved abruptly. While Ghose was in the process of viewing 

, he was removed from his post. Contrary to popular lore, his dismissal was not because of the film but followed his decision to give airtime to an opposition politician, angering the Rajiv Gandhi government. 

The film entered bureaucratic limbo. It eventually landed on the desk of an acting Director General. Phone calls followed. Deliberations dragged on. Krishen and Roy overheard officials conferring. 

“They were literally asking each other, ‘Balls rakh sakte hai kya?’” Krishen recalls. “Then someone said, ‘Bohot balls bolte hai.’” 

 finally aired, it did so late at night, without announcement, with words bleeped mid-sentence. The censorship was clumsy, sometimes absurd. Yet people watched. 

“It aired very late at night, with no publicity,” says Krishen. “I’m always astonished when people tell me they caught it back then.” 

Over the years, the film survived in degraded copies with muddy sound and patchy print. Recognition moved laterally, not vertically. Among the faces drifting through the film was a young Shah Rukh Khan, in his first screen appearance. 

“We did an acting workshop that lasted a few weeks,” Krishen says. “That was used for auditioning. Shah Rukh was by no means a star then. We cast people according to how they performed. He was given a small role because that’s what we thought he deserved at the time.” 

He laughs at hindsight. “Someone later asked me why I didn’t give Shah Rukh a bigger role. I said, maybe I’m the only person who couldn’t spot his propensity to become a big star. But we weren’t looking for star quality. This film was about unsure, vulnerable characters, not heroes.” 

The restoration began almost accidentally. While preparing to move house, Krishen discovered six steel trunks in his basement filled with scripts, budgets and correspondence.  “I was going to give it all to a 

,” he says. “A friend, Ratnesh Mathur, stopped me and contacted Shivendra. He came the next day and took everything. Later he asked about restoring 

“The fact that the film was pretty much picked up from a dustbin and restored, and then offered to Berlin, is really quite magical,” Krishen says. 

The restoration proved technically difficult. The negative at the National Film Archive of India was in poor condition. The sound was worse. Krishen had insisted on direct sound recording at a time when few Indian productions attempted it, and ambient noise had bled into every track. 

“When I saw the material on the Steenbeck, I could see how damaged it was,” says Dungarpur. “The sprockets had broken. It’s like a vintage car you love. You find it lying there, and you want to bring it back to life.” 

What struck him most was the film’s contemporaneity. “People now know Arundhati Roy as a Booker Prize winner, internationally huge. And this is the film she crafted. Her early writing. The way Pradip and she came together to make this, it needed to be seen.” 

The process took over a year. Damage was addressed selectively. Sound was cleaned without being sterilised. “It was shot on 16mm,” Dungarpur says. “16 is not 35. It has grain. Honesty in restoration is crucial. In India, we often overdo it, make films too clean. That’s why many restorations don’t travel. Berlin responded to the truthfulness of it, and to the film itself. It talks about a time, a place, but also something timeless: student life, defiance, uncertainty.” 

Roy remains characteristically unsentimental. “None of us were trying to be timeless or universal or important,” she says. “We just worked with a smile on our faces. We were totally happy to be the lunatic fringe of nothing. When I think back on it now, I just have a smile.” 

 remains unmistakably political, but it treats politics as a way of life rather than a slogan. “Not all politics has to be furious,” Roy says. “Sometimes it’s just about allowing people to exist as they are.” 

, her dog barked intermittently in the background. Roy acknowledged it calmly and continued, “My dog has decided to bark. Let’s see,” she said. The interruption was allowed to exist, just as it is in 

. The film makes room for noise, for drift, for unfinished thought. 

Exclusive | In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, Again: Arundhati Roy and Pradip Krishen on Taking Their Film to Berlinale 2026

 has addressed the legal controversy surrounding his upcoming action romance, 

. Slated for release on February 13, the film stars 

 and draws inspiration from real-life events, specifically the underworld saga of gangster Hussain Ustara and Ashraf Khan, also known as Sapna Didi.

A couple of weeks ago, Ustara’s daughter, Sanober Shaikh, accused the makers of misrepresenting her father’s life and his relationship with Sapna Didi. Shaikh claimed that no consent had been taken from the family while adapting the story. A legal notice was subsequently sent to producer Sajid Nadiadwala.

While the film interprets its central relationship as a complex, unrequited love story, the actual bond between Ustara and Sapna Didi was closer to that of siblings, Shaikh has claimed. 

 trailer launch event on Wednesday (January 21), Bhardwaj clarified that the film is based on a chapter from the book 

, written by Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges. He stated that he had officially acquired the rights to the book from Zaidi and had also written its foreword.

“If permission has to be taken, that responsibility lies with the author who wrote the book, not with the filmmaker. This film is based on a published book, not on private documents or a direct retelling of someone’s life,” Bhardwaj said, adding that Zaidi must have taken permission from Ustara’s family. He also stressed that the film contains several fictional elements.

Bhardwaj also addressed criticism regarding the film’s use of explicit language and excessive violence. “I feel that 

(abuses) in movies shouldn’t be censored. As a society, we are very hypocritical. We accept such languages on the streets, but when they appear in cinema, we feel that cinema is affecting society negatively… Cinema, according to me, is a mirror of society. it reflects exactly who you are.” He further described such language as having “poetry” when used appropriately and in context.

Subscribe

Subscribe

Subscribe

Shah Rukh Khan's 'King' Locks December 24 Release; Set to Arrive a Week After 'Avengers: Doomsday' and 'Dune: Part Three'

You may also like

READ MORE ABOUT:

Latest News