Hindi
Mahesh Manjrekar forms new entertainment company
MUMBAI: Mahesh Manjrekar, in association with Pune-based realtor Aniruddha Deshpande, has formed a new company. Named Great Maratha Entertainment LLP, it will produce and market films and TV serials in Marathi.
“We wish to make Marathi films that will give returns on investments rather than try to get financial support from the State Government. Over 100 Marathi films are released every year. However, only few of them are able to recover the investment. We wish to change this scenario,” observed Deshpande.
Averred Manjrekar, “Though Marathi cinema has explored diverse subjects, it is far from the standards of Bollywood. Probably that is why it still does not enjoy patronage of teenagers and youngsters. Systematic channelisation of investments in Marathi films for having good production values, use of latest technology and intelligent marketing will bring up the overall standard of the Marathi films and will help capture audiences.”
The new company is ready with four films scheduled for release over the next six months. The company, which is also adapting the cult Marathi play Natasamrat in a film form, has plans to release around eight films a year.
The company is also planning to set up a modern studio soon and is looking for space between Pune and Lonavala.
While Manjrekar has written, directed and acted in a host of Marathi and Hindi films, Deshpande is the managing director of City Corporation Ltd, a Pune-based real estate company.
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.
