Hindi
Sujoy Ghosh’s next is Badla with Amitabh Bachchan
MUMBAI: Basking under the super success of his Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani, filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh is currently in the process of writing two scripts.
While the first would star Ghosh’s favourite star Amitabh Bachchan, the second would star Vidya Balan. Regarding Bachchan, Ghosh has already made it known that no film of his would go without the veteran associated with it.
Ghosh has gone one step further when he revealed the name of the film as Badla. While the tagline of Badla was to be ‘Only God Forgives’, the director won’t be able to use it since a film has been announced with the same name, according to Ghosh.
The film will also star Naseeruddin Shah and Vidya Balan in prominent roles. “The script that I‘m writing for Sir (Amitabh Bachchan) is called Badla, which, if I write well, will have Sir and Naseerji and Vidya Balan. All depends on the script,” posted Ghosh on his Twitter account.
Ghosh averred that once he finishes off with both the screenplays, he will decide on which project he would start working first.
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.
