Hindi
Ek Haseena Thi …..lacks substance
Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha is the second go at launching of Shiv Darshan, son of veteran filmmaker, Suneel Darshan.
The junior Darshan made his debut with Karle Pyaar Karle (2014), a home production directed by Rajesh Pandey. The film did not work and, this time, Darshan takes it upon himself to give the junior another chance.
The theme of the film is not easy to fathom. The character played by Darshan jr was in love with a girl in an earlier birth. His wish not fulfilled, and therefore his soul (atma) is now all over. It turns out that the girl he loved earlier was a total lookalike of the character of Natasha Fernandez who owns a palatial house in Europe. It’s not a coincidence since Fernandez is the earlier one’s granddaughter.
Fernandez has plans to marry her childhood love, played by Upen Patel. But, Patel seems to have different plans altogether.
The film also discusses if the ghosts really exist? The conclusion is they don’t. So what is Darshan’s junior’s claim to being an ‘atma’ all about?
The film is an outcome of poor storyline which shows on the scripting. There is nothing of substance. In this event, despite his past records of successes, Suneel Darshan fails to do justice as the director. The directors’ favourite music director, Nadeem, is roped in to provide the music for this film but there is nothing in the songs that make them hummable.
The cinematography does justice to the beautiful Wales locations where the film was shot.
Despite being his second film, Shiv Darshan shows no improvement. Fernandez can’t act. Upen Patel is not known for histrionics. Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deeewana Tha has nothing going for it.
Producer/ Director: Suneel Darshan.
Cast: Shiv Darshan, Natasha Fernandez and Upen Patel.
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.
