Hindi
Graphic novel on Bob Biswas in offing
MUMBAI: A bunch of young entrepreneurs and film buffs in Kolkata and Mumbai are planning a graphic novel on Bob Biswas, the LIC agent turned hired assassin in the Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani.
Confirming the same, director Sujoy Ghosh said, “They had spoken to me about it and I want to help them out.”
He is flattered by the fan frenzy that the character has generated and admits that unlike other pre-release graphic novels, this is not a franchise spinoff or publicity stunt.
According to the director, this kind of frenzy is generally reserved for superheroes or iconic characters. “It‘s amazing that people are paying attention to second-rung characters,” he averred.
Saswata Chatterjee, who played Biswas, added, “I hadn‘t expected that a cold-blooded killer could become so popular. I have played negative characters earlier too but none have brought me this sort of recognition. Bob did not have too many dialogues. It was all about the body language.”
Chatterjee has worked in films like Aborto, Abar Bomkesh, Nobel Chor and Bhalobasha Off Route-A.
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.
