The actor will reprise his iconic character Ballu Balaram but the showman will be handing over the reins to a younger director
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2016)

May 2013: Subhash Ghai announces that he is reworking his 1993-action thriller, Khalnayak. "It won't exactly be a remake but an adaptation to suit today's audience," he asserts, rubbishing rumours that John Abraham will play Sanjay Dutt's character Ballu Balaram but promising an announcement soon on the director and the cast.

October 11, 2014: Mirror learns that Sanjay Leela Bhansali has approached Ghai with an offer to remake the film, a collaboration between his production house and Ghai's banner Mukta Arts. SLB denies this even after Ranveer Singh (Mirror, December 22, 2015) says he was waiting for the director to call him for Khalnayak. "I'm ready, after Bajirao Mastani I think I've earned it," he had asserted.

July 8, 2016: Ghai informs that Sanjay Dutt and he have joined hands to produce Khalnayak Returns and the 56-year-old-actor will be reviving his iconic character in the sequel. "We've made an agreement to produce Khalnayak Returns which will roll by the year end or early next year. I'd met Sanjay when he was out on parole and discussed the idea with him. He made a soundtrack with some voiceover in the background which I loved. Impressed with his passion for the film, we decided to take the idea forward," says Ghai adding that he wants to make an intelligent sequel like that of The Godfather which today's viewers can connect with.

Khalnayak revolves around the capture of dreaded gangster, Ballu Balaram, by inspector Ram, played by Jackie Shroff. However, he escapes from jail and Ram's cop girlfriend, Ganga enacted by Madhuri Dixit, goes undercover to reel him in. But then she lets him go and is arrested for aiding a criminal and accused of being in a relationship with him. As she stands trial, Ballu surrenders.

Ghai had once revealed that the film was conceived with Nana Patekar in mind. But things didn't work out and he rewrote the script and cast Sanjay Dutt.

In April 1993, Sanjay was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA). Soon after Khalnayak released. The six-minute song, "Choli ke peechhe kya hai", also created a storm over its lyrics. The two controversies ensured plenty of pre-release publicity for the film which went on to become a box-office hit. It was remade in Telugu as Khaidi No. 1 with Vinod Kumar in Sanjay's role.

Prod Ghai on the sequel and he reveals that it will kick off with Ballu coming out of the jail after 20 years to find himself in a completely different world. Circumstances take him back to the world of crime. "It'll be a multi-starrer with many new characters. You never know, Ballu might find another khalnayak, among them," the filmmaker says.

Ghai will hand over the reins to a younger director but will be creatively involved in the music and also conduct a workshop for the actors. Will we get to hear the chartbusters, "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" and "Nayak Nahi Khalnayak Hoon Main" again? "The title track will be retained but we are yet to take a call on 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai'," Ghai adds, dismissing that Jackie's son Tiger Shroff has been roped in for the sequel. "We haven't singed anyone yet. We are completing the script first. There's lots of excitement and we'll announce further developments at the right time," he signs off.