Hindi
MIIFF to be held in January, launches logo
Mumbai: The first Mumbaindia International Film Festival (MIIFF) will be held in January 2023. There will be six sections from world cinema to Marathi cinema.
The founders of Mumbaindia International Film Festival (MIIFF), Sharon Prabhakar, Sudhir Attavar, Trivikram Belthangady, Sandip Soparrkar and Chaitali Chatterjee launched the spectacular logo of this unique film festival. In a grand event held at the Cinepolis in Mumbai, its founders revealed many interesting things about the film festival. Veteran actor Om Puri’s wife Nandita Puri and actress Shazahn Padamsee were also present at the event.
Sharon Prabhakar said, “People might say that there are many film festivals, so what is the need to do this, but I do not think about it. You should try your best to fulfill your dream. I go against the routine work, and this is one such festival which will be different, unique and exciting. We women are multi-taskers.”
Sudhir Attavar said, “We have kept 6 sections in this film festival. The first category is of world cinema, the second category is of the LGBTQIA community and another category is of women filmmakers. There is a category for a film institute. The fifth category will be for ad films and the sixth category will be for Marathi cinema. There will also be a section for dance and music based films. The first MIIFF will be held in Mumbai in January 2023. Registration for it will start from July 2022.
The founder of the film festival Sudhir Attavar said, “The festival is not being done to earn money. There will be neither politics nor commercial angle in this meaningful festival.”
Dancer-choreographer Sandip Soparkar said, “I express my sincere gratitude for making me a part of this festival. When I came to Mumbai 22 years ago, the next day I went to visit the temple of Mumba Devi and I told her that this city has been named after you, when will such a day come when I will be able to associate with your name. And today after 22 years I am very happy to be associated with Mumba India International Film Festival. We will promote culture through cinema.”
Trivikram Belthangady said, “When Sudhir ji and Sharon asked me to join this festival, I immediately agreed, because it is filled with creative energy. Through this festival, the audience will get to see meaningful cinema. Doors will also be opened for new filmmakers. I am very excited about this journey.”
Chaitali Chatterjee also expressed her heartfelt thanks.
Ompuri’s wife Nandita Puri said, “My heartfelt congratulations to the entire team for organizing this festival. Sharon is my great friend, I am also her fan, she is my favorite and an amazing woman. I have seen issues behind film festivals, we will keep Mumba India International Film Festival away from politics or lobbying.”
Shazahn Padamsee, who has acted in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu films, said, “Everyone has worked hard for this festival. My mom Sharon has given her heart and soul to this festival.”
Krishna Bhardwaj, Ratna Pratap and Vidyadhar Shetty also extended their best wishes here. Vidyadhar Shetty of Success Films organized the event.
Sharon Prabhakar added, “People are passionate about filmmaking and some have even sold their houses to make a good film. This festival is for such passionate makers. We will try to do something better, new and different through this.”
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.
