Hindi
Devgn’s making film on female foeticide
MUMBAI: With the kind of response the Maharashtra government‘s campaign against female foeticide has been getting, star couple Ajay Devgn and Kajol have come together in making a film on the subject. It is said that the state‘s health department has approved Devgn‘s script.
Health Minister Suresh Shetty said the department has appreciated the script and it will be the endeavour of the government to make the film available in maximum number of theatres.
“We are strictly implementing laws to prevent child sex determination for which social awareness campaign is also necessary,” Shetty has reportedly said.
The minister also revealed that the Devgns are making the film free of cost and the two stars are extending all help to the government in the social awareness campaign.
The film is expected to roll out soon.
On the other hand, Marathi actors Sachin Pilgaonkar and Supriya and their teenage daughter Shriya have been appointed as brand ambassadors for the state-run campaign against female foeticide.
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.
