Hindi
“Women portrayal problematic in cinemas and papers”: Aamir Khan
NEW DELHI: Eminent stars Aamir Khan and Deepika Padukone were the highlights of the day at the final session for the first day at the 12th edition of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
However, Khan decided to do some plain speak at the session moderated by renowned director Karan Johar when he expressed his disappointment over the trend of buying editorial spaces to garner positive reviews for upcoming movies. He said that it would be better if the fraternity channelized its energies in making good films.
The talk touched on several sensitive issues that emerged in the film fraternity in the current times including buying of editorial spaces and the rat race for soaring box office collections.
Khan said he loved movies like Pyaasa and Mughal-e-Azam, the box-office collections of which remain unknown to the world.
The session also touched upon more grave issues like the portrayal of women in Indian cinema. Padukone with reference to her latest controversial posters said “it cannot be denied that men too are objectified in Indian cinema.” Khan said women portrayal are problematic in cinemas and papers.
The actors also agreed that the audience has matured over time and it becomes important to cater to the evolving taste of the audience. They also touched upon the blurring lines between the mainstream and parallel cinema.
Khan welcomed the competition in the industry. The veteran actor said that stiff competition would only help the industry rather than pulling it down. He said that the idea to reshape Indian cinema would require making movies which would infuse grace into the social fabric of the society.
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.
