Hindi
Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty announce a biopic on Mumbai cop Rakesh Maria
Mumbai: Reliance Entertainment and Rohit Shetty collaborate to produce a biopic on one of Mumbai’s most revered top cops and former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, Rakesh Maria. The biopic will be based on the experiences of his accomplished career and will be mentored by the ace filmmaker, Rohit Shetty himself.
Talking about the announcement, Rohit Shetty producer & director said, “Rakesh Maria: The man who stared terror in the face for 36 years!! His incredible journey spans all the way from the 1993 blasts in Mumbai, the underworld menace, to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. Feel truly honoured to be bringing this real-life super cop’s brave & fearless journey to the screen!!”
Rakesh Maria, an IPS officer, cleared his civil service examination from the 1981 batch. As Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in 1993, he cracked the Bombay serial blasts case, and later moved to DCP (Crime) and then joint commissioner of police (Crime) of the Mumbai Police.
Maria solved the 2003 Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar twin blasts case. He was also given the responsibility of investigating the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 and interrogated Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive, and successfully investigated the case.
Rakesh Maria commented, “It is exciting to relive the journey, especially when piloted by a brilliant director like Rohit Shetty. More than the nostalgia, it’s also a valuable opportunity to place before the people the extraordinary work of the Mumbai Police when facing tough challenges and working against all odds.”
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.
