Hindi
Former SPNI head honcho Neeraj Vyas joins Vinod Bhanushali as his studio’s CEO
MUMBAI: When Neeraj Vyas put in his papers at Sony Pictures Networks India mid-last year, speculation was running high where the veteran broadcaster who built Sony Sab into a successful brand would be headed. Well, we know now – to Bhanushali Studios Ltd (BSL) as its CEO. The announcement was made a short while ago by Vinod himself on linkedin.
Said Vinod: “ With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Neeraj brings visionary leadership and a passion for innovation. We look forward to harnessing his expertise, creativity, and strategic vision to drive growth, amplify creativity, and propel the studio to new heights. Here’s to a bright and inspiring future ahead.”
Vinod, has in recent times, been displaying lots of chutzpah, after leaving T-Series around four years ago. Amongst his most recent partnerships was his taking equity in Hansal Mehta and Sahil Saigal’s True Story Films along with former Ksera Sera boss Parag Sanghvi. BSL has been the production house behind titles such as Janhit Mein Jaari, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, Main Atal Hoon and Bhaiyya Ji.
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.
