Hindi
INOX ties-up with IMAX for five theatre systems
MUMBAI: INOX Leisure Limited (INOX) has announced an agreement with IMAX Corporation, for five IMAX theatre systems. These systems will be installed at existing INOX multiplexes in the cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Kolkata, starting with INOX at R-City, Ghatkopar, Mumbai. With this deal, INOX plans to take the cinema viewing experience of its customers to the next level. The agreement represents the largest theatre deal for IMAX in India and brings the total number of IMAX theatres in the country to 20, with nine currently open and 11 contracted to open.
“We have built our business on our commitment to create a premium customer experience and we view our partnership with IMAX as an extension of this strategy,” said INOX Leisure Ltd CEO Alok Tandon. “By associating ourselves with the IMAX brand and offering our guests a completely immersive cinema experience, we will continue to strengthen our position. We are particularly excited about shaping the future of cinema in India through such initiatives.”
IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond added, “We’ve always said India is potentially a huge opportunity for us. Now is the time to grow in this strategically important market and this deal serves as an important first step. We believe that INOX adding IMAX theatres to its most successful complexes – which are situated in top-tier cities – will help us expand our network in India at a more rapid pace.”
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.
