Hindi
Govind Nihalani to make Ardh Satya 2
MUMBAI: Nearly 30 years after he made Ardh Satya, veteran filmmaker Govind Nihalani is all set to make a sequel of the cop drama.
“We are working on the sequel of Ardh Satya. Producer Manmohan Shetty has been really keen to make a sequel. We were toying with this idea since a long time. Finally we have decided to go ahead with it,” Nihalani said in a statement.
The movie followed the story of a policeman, played by Om Puri, struggling with the evils around him and with his own frailties.
It is said that the story will move ahead as the original story ended with cop (Om Puri) behind the bars. “So we explore what happens when he comes out of jail as an old man after serving his sentence for killing the goon Rama Shetty,” Nihalani added.
Ardh Satya, considered to be one of the best cop films made in India, had won many awards and it went on to become a landmark project in the history of cinema. The film had Om Puri, Amrish Puri, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Sadashiv Amrapurkar.
“We thought of it to call ‘Ardh Satya 2‘. We are still working on the script and hopefully by the end of this year or early next year we will go on floors,” the 71-year-old said.
At a time when cop dramas like “Dabangg”, “Singham” are doing well at the box office, this seems to be the right time for the sequel.
Ask the filmmaker about the same and he says, “We are not cashing in on anything. The idea of a sequel was thought of long back. It‘s just that things have finalised now. The sequel will be very much different from the kind of cop dramas that we have seen recently.”
“‘Ardh Satya 2‘ will be a contemporary cop film not a remake of any South movie. Ours is a fresh story,” Nihalani said.
The makers have not yet finalised the star cast for the sequel, but they hope to retain veteran actor Om Puri.
“We would love to have Om Puri in the film. His character in the sequel will be of an older man. Apart from this, we have not thought of the main star cast yet,” Nihalani said.
Hindi
Edstead unveils ambitious H1 2026 content slate
New originals feature Adarsh Gourav in Northeast docu-series, Aditi Kotak in Next Class, and Adil Hussain in Stories of India.
MUMBAI: Edstead just dropped a content menu so rich it could make even the pickiest viewer say “encore” because when storytelling meets substance, the binge becomes inevitable. The fast-rising Mumbai-based studio, founded by Shekhar Bhattacharjee, today revealed its H1 2026 slate, a bold expansion of premium non-fiction that blends cultural depth, innovation, and legacy into cinematic factual narratives. The lineup cements Edstead’s niche at the crossroads of authenticity and global appeal, delivering research-driven stories that stay rooted in the Indian experience while aiming for wider resonance.
Headlining the fresh originals:
- An untitled docu-series starring Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav, who journeys through Northeast India to spotlight living cultural traditions, indigenous voices, music, oral histories, and everyday resilience. Presented by Air India Express, with Dentsu Sports and Entertainment as integration partner.
- Next Class, an eight-episode impact series fronted by entrepreneur and former Miss India Aditi Kotak, decoding career pathways, emerging fields, and real-world outcomes through leading institutions and forward-thinking disciplines.
- Stories of India with Adil Hussain, India’s first weekly OTT series dedicated to social impact, profiling organisations driving meaningful change and connecting purpose with tangible results.
- Toast to Tomorrow, exploring how leading alcohol brands craft immersive, culture-led experiences that celebrate regional identities and redefine legacy.
- No Cap Abroad – UAE Edition, following Indian students through their first week at UAE colleges—navigating homesickness, culture shock, and independence in a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Edstead is also returning with expanded seasons of breakout hits, The Future School (progressive Indian education), Molecules of Hope (healthcare innovation), and Great Indian Residential Schools.
Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “At Edstead, we are focused on building narratives that carry depth, context, and long-term relevance. Every project begins with research and a clear purpose… Our ambition is to create globally competitive factual content from India that remains culturally grounded while shaping conversations, inspiring trust, and contributing to the growing culture economy.”
From education and healthcare to enterprise and cultural revival, the slate reflects Edstead’s full-stack approach developing original IPs and guiding them through a robust distribution network spanning digital, OTT, and broadcast. In a content world chasing quick trends, Edstead is quietly betting on stories built to last, ones that don’t just entertain, but linger long after the credits roll.
