Hindi
Vishwaroopam’s theatrical release postponed to 25 Jan
MUMBAI: Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan‘s upcoming film ‘Vishwaroopam‘ will now release on 25 January instead of 11 January, the earlier decided date of release.
The Rajkamal Films International‘s movie that was to release on DTH platforms on 10 January was called off by Haasan after the opposition from the theatre owners as it would have affected their business. It is now uncertain when the movie will air on DTH platforms.
Haasan said in a press statement, “Based on the unstinted support of theatre owners and distributors fraternity, ‘Vishwaroopam‘ will release in over 500 screens across the State of Tamil Nadu. I appreciate the exhibitors and distributors brethren for having understood my vision for creating a new revenue stream for the film producing community through DTH.”
“In line with the postponement of the release date of the movie ‘Vishwaroopam‘ (Tamil and Telugu)/‘Vishwaroop‘ (Hindi)‘ across theatres and on the DTH platform by Rajkamal Films, we have stopped taking bookings for the movie premiere that was scheduled for 10 January at 9.30 p.m. on Airtel DTH,” Bharti Airtel CEO-DTH/Media Shashi Arora said in a statement issued by the company.
Haasan has acted, directed and produced the movie. In a press meet on Wednesday, he said that he is considering releasing the movie simultaneously in both theaters and DTH platforms.
The other DTH operators with which Haasan had tied up for the movie premiere of ‘Vishwaroopam‘ included Tata Sky, Dish TV and Videocon d2h, Sun Direct and Reliance Digital TV.
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.
