After delivering Tanu Weds Manu Returns, one of the biggest hits of 2015, filmmaker Aanand L Rai is excited about broadening his horizons in 2016. He has an interesting slate of movies under his banner Colour Yellow Productions, starting with Ashwini Iyer Tiwari's Nil Battey Sannata. Featuring Swara Bhaskar, Ratna Pathak Shah and Pankaj Tripathi, it's about a poor, single mother's travails and how she wants her daughter to get every opportunity in life. The movie, which is co-produced by Jar Pictures, is also being remade in Tamil by actor Dhanush.

Known for his penchant for unconventional casting, Rai is also backing Mudassar Aziz's Happy Bhag Jaayegi, starring Abhay Deol, Diana Penty and Ali Fazal. Produced in association with Krishika Lulla's corporate house, a schedule of this film has been shot in Chandigarh.

It will be followed by Manmarziyan, a romantic drama with Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar and Vicky Kaushal (of Masaan fame). Set in Amritsar, the film is directed by Sameer Sharma. Later this year, Rai will collaborate with director Navdeep Singh (of NH10 and Manorama Six Feet Under fame), for a project that is currently in the scripting stage. His company's next offering is an out-of-the-box yet relatable venture called Nimmo, helmed by Rahul Shanklya. Keeping in sync with his love for Indian families, Rai has also roped in south filmmaker RS Prasanna to direct the Hindi remake of his Tamil blockbuster Kalyana Samayal Saadham.

Rai enthuses, “It was an interesting journey to direct and produce Tanu Weds Manu Returns. I'm thrilled with the versatile talent we have on board at Colour Yellow Productions. The process of scripting, casting, scouting for locations and putting the entire project together is so exciting that I'm looking forward to our movies in the coming months.“