Hindi
HC refuses to stay the release of Don 2
MUMBAI: The Mumbai High Court has denied the stay on the release of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Don 2 in the legal suit filed by Nariman Films alleging infringement of copyright against the makers of Don 2.
The suit, filed by Nariman Films and the Irani family (the makers of original 1978 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Don), had alleged that the new Don 2 had violated the copyrights by adopting the Don‘s signature tune, songs of the original Don and also copying its script, characters and music without any prior intimation. It further stated that the rights of the said script were given only for the remake and not for the sequel.
However, Justice SF Vajifdar denied to stay the release of the film, citing the absence of theatre owners at the time of hearing and also taking into consideration that the release dates of the film (21 December overseas and 23 December in India) for which advance booking was already underway.
With regards to damages of Rs 2 billion claimed by the complainants, the Court is yet to decide on the matter but it ordered the makers of Don 2 to maintain and preserve all the accounts relating to the film till the matter is finally disposed.
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.
