Hindi
Govind Nihalani turns to animation films
MUMBAI: Known for his serious films like Aakrosh, Vijeyta and Ardh Satya, filmmaker, director and cinematographer Govind Nihalani is returning to films after a eight-year hiatus with an animation feature film titled Kamlu-Happy Happy.
The 84-minute film has a simple message about the impossible dreams and friendship with adventure and four songs. “It is definitely a departure from my type of films. It‘s not a serious film. I love animations and have long been working on this film,” commented the filmmaker.
The film depicts loads of positive values about dreams coming true, bonding with friends and loved ones. It is all about dreaming of the impossible. The protagonist of the film is a baby camel in Rajasthan who wants to fly. The film is for both adults and children and is full of adventures.
Set in Rajasthan, the film follows the style of mainstream American animation though the storytelling is of another kind. Even the characters have been styled in a different manner; with their bodies shaped in V shape. The story is set against the Spartan backdrop of Rajasthan while the interiors have been designed using actual havelis complete with murals on the wall and even signs of decay on the walls.
About the making of the film Nihalani said, “Being newcomers, we had to plan ahead and everything was pre-decided. Not only that, we had readied the background score well in advance and the scenes and character movements were planned in sync with it.”
Hindi
Jio Studios, Sanjay Dutt team up to revive Khal Nayak
Rights acquired for new version, format under wraps as remake plans take shape.
MUMBAI: The villain is back and this time, he’s rewriting his own script. Jio Studios has partnered with Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aspect Entertainment to revive the 1993 cult classic Khal Nayak, marking a fresh chapter for one of Bollywood’s most iconic anti-hero stories. The original film, directed by Subhash Ghai under Mukta Arts, was a commercial and cultural milestone, with Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Ballu becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable performances.
Dutt, along with Aksha Kamboj, has now acquired the rights from the original creators, bringing on board Jio Studios and its President Jyoti Deshpande to steer the project creatively.
While the exact format whether remake, sequel, prequel, or a completely new narrative remains undisclosed, the collaboration aims to reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while retaining the essence that made the original a defining film of the 1990s.
The move taps into a broader industry trend of reviving legacy intellectual property, particularly characters with strong recall value. “Khal Nayak” was notable for pushing mainstream Hindi cinema into morally grey territory at a time when heroes were largely one-dimensional, making Ballu’s character a standout.
The project also marks the film production debut of Aspect Entertainment, signalling a push towards more technology-led storytelling frameworks. Meanwhile, Jio Studios continues to expand its slate, having built a library of over 200 films and series, with more than 60 titles collectively winning 500-plus awards.
For Dutt, the revival is as much personal as it is strategic, a return to a role that reshaped his career. For the industry, it is another sign that nostalgia, when paired with scale, remains a powerful box-office proposition.
Because in Bollywood, some villains never fade, they just wait for the perfect comeback.
