Hindi
Salman Khan defies Eid release with Dabaang 2 releasing during Christmas this year
MUMBAI: Since the last couple of years, Salman Khan‘s films have been releasing around Eid. The exercise started with Wanted (2010), Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011) Bodyguard (2011) and the latest Ek Tha Tiger.
But not any more. His next Dabangg 2 is set for a Christmas release. It may be remembered that 23 years ago his first-ever blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya released on 29 December, 1989. Dabangg 2 is set to hit theatres on 21 December.
It is said that Salman consciously decided to break the myth surrounding his Eid superstition. He believes that the content of Dabangg 2 is even better than that of the original, hence this is a play to defy the Eid release myth.
Said producer Arbaaz Khan in a statement, "There are four-five vital release periods in a year, which are important for any big film. Since our film will be ready by the year-end, we decided to release it during the Christmas period."
The sequel while retaining its lead pair Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, has replaced Sonu Sood with Prakash Raj as the baddie chief.
The original was directed by Abhinav Kashyap, and was a big turning point in Salman‘s box-office fortune. Actor-turned-producer Arbaaz Khan has now taken the director‘s seat.
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.
