Hindi
Top political personalities condole passing away of Dara Singh
NEW DELHI: Rustam-e-Hind Dara Singh, who passed away early this morning, has been described by Vice President M Hamid Ansari as an enduring role model to the youth and sportsmen in the country.
The Vice-President, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni expressed grief on the death of the veteran actor who had never lost a fight during his career as a wrestler.
Ansari said Dara Singh’s acting career was most memorable for the intensity and diversity of characters that he had portrayed. His role as a nominated Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) is remembered by one and all.
Dr. Manmohan Singh said Dara Singh had been a noted film actor, producer, and an internationally acclaimed wrestler. He added: “A self educated son-of-the-soil, he rose to the heights of the entertainment world, sports arena and public life with humility and grace.”
Soni said, “Dara Singh ji will always have a special place in our hearts for his immense contribution to the Indian film industry in various capacities as an actor, director and producer. I also recall his distinguished record as member of the Rajya Sabha.”
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.
