Hindi
Bangladesh lifts 39-year old ban on Indian films
MUMBAI: In a welcome sign, the Bangladeshi High Court has lifted the 39-year old ban on Indian film exhibition in the country.
Expressing his happiness at the move of the Bangladeshi High Court, producer Mukesh Bhatt said, “That‘s great news! This move will provide a death knell to the pirates there who make merry by selling the latest Bollywood fare.”
“We were always of the view that there should be mutual coordination between all SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan Maldives and Nepal). Bangladesh and India can be of good use to each other by mutual coordination. Who knows, one day we might see a joint Indo-Bangla film being rolled out,” Bhatt added.
After Eid-Ul-Fitr festival that ends on 10 September, cinemas in Bangladesh will start screening Indian films. This will start with the release of three Bengali films – Jour, Badla and Sangram, that are currently awaiting approval from the Bangladesh Censor Board.
Later, Bollywood‘s biggest hits including Sholay, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Dhoom:2, Don, Wanted and 3 Idiots would be exhibited.
The Bangladesh Cinema Halls Owners Association has welcomed the move by saying that the Court‘s decision was “the best thing to have happened” to the country‘s cinemas. Cinema hall owners have expressed hope that they would be able to start showing new Indian films shortly.
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.
