Hindi
Surendra Singh cast in The American Gandhi
MUMBAI: Indian artistes are slowly making an entry into Hollywood films. Following the like of Gulshan Grover, Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor, another actor of Indian origin, Surendra Singh has been signed to play a parallel lead role in another Hollywood film The American Gandhi.
In the film, Singh plays the ruthless character of a royal business tycoon Rana. Currently under production and directed by Joseph Mungra, the film also stars Hollywood actor James Patrick Stuart.
Said Singh, “I am really enjoying the film. I play a billionaire in the film and have my own mining fields. It‘s a grey character and to get under the skin of it, I have played with my looks. But most interesting part is where I showcase the life style of Indian Royalties to the western audience.”
Incidentally, Singh has earlier worked in films like Asambhav, Line of Control and Veer.
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.
