Hindi
Kerala govt honours Asin Thottumkal
MUMBAI: The government of Kerala has honoured film star Asin Thottumkal by awarding her for her achievements and success in the field of entertainment.
The annual award is presented to women who are true icons for young women in Kerala. “I‘m honoured and humbled. It was amazing to receive the award on home soil,” avered Asin.
She was conferred the award at a special ceremony which was attended by the state bigwigs. Added Asin, “Though I have attended several award ceremonies and bagged several honours all these years, this was singularly unique for me. It was special even for my family. Being recognised by people in the place where you come from has special significance.”
Born and brought up in Kochi, the actress‘ first acting assignment was in a Malayalam film when she was still a teenager. Asin who began doing South films, crossed over to Hindi films with Aamir Khan in Ghajini in 2008.
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.
