Hindi
Intriguing social drama ‘Gulaal’ premieres today
MUMBAI: Bollywood has seen a plethora of films based on state politics, but there has never been a narrative as startling as ‘Gulaal’. Boasting of superlative performances, this film directed by Anurag Kashyap cuts through the layers of grass-root politics situated in the regions from Rajasthan to Bihar. Zee Classic with its brand promise of Woh Zamana Kare Deewana, will premiere ‘Gulaal’ in India’s Finest Films on Friday, 3 March, at 10pm.
‘Gulaal’ revolves around a central god-like leader, illegitimate methods of conducting politics, folk songs heartily sung by Rekha Bharadwaj and strong noteworthy performances by Kay Kay Menon, Mahie Gill, Raj Singh Chaudhary, Jesse Randhawa, Piyush Mishra and a climax that is sure to give goosebumps! The film took seven long years of wait and relentless struggle by Anurag Kashyap to make it happen. It is highly credited for its compelling storytelling and dark themed narrative.
Dilip Singh (Raj Singh Chaudhary), a soft-spoken man comes to Rajasthan to study law. Due to the lack of hostel occupancy, he is forced to stay with an unstable man Rananjay Singh (Abhimanyu Singh). During his constant attempts to relocate, Dilip encounters a room-full of men who torture and abuse him. He is then locked up in a room with a lady (Jesse Randhawa). Dilip partners with Rananjay and Dukey Bana (Kay Kay Menon) to plan to take revenge on the people who humiliated him. Dukey Bana is a local uncrowned monarch who was contesting for the forthcoming university elections. Murders, bloodshed and conniving tactics to get to the top is what forms the rest of the film.
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.
