BOMBAY TIMES (October 3, 2018)

After the success of the web series, Sacred Games, Saif Ali Khan has not only cemented his position as a talented actor, but also as an artiste who has redefined the rules of showbiz. And now, after successfully backing films like Love Aaj Kal, Agent Vinod and Go Goa Gone among others, he has returned to production with his new banner, Black Knight Films.

The actor-producer has joined hands with long-time friend, Jay Shewakramani of Northern Lights Films. The duo, who last worked together on Race and Race 2, has signed a three–film deal, starting with Jawaani Jaaneman. The family comedy, directed by Nitin Kakkar, will star Saif Ali Khan along with a new face. The casting of the film, which will go on floors in the first half of 2019, is underway.

Says Jay Shewakramani, “I really look forward to this collaboration, as Saif has been a friend for many years. Apart from being an immensely talented star, he is also a sharp entrepreneur. His intelligence and artistic sensibility will be a huge asset to the films we’ve partnered on.”

On his part, Saif Ali Khan adds, “I’ve never shied away from alternate genres and avant garde scripts, and this is going to be as exciting as it gets. Jay and I have been planning this for a while now and with Jawaani Jaaneman, we found just the right project to produce together.”
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Actor returns to production with National Award-winning director Nitin Kakkar’s next, a comedy that rolls in 2019
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 3, 2018)

Mirror has learnt that four years after producing the 2014 romcom Happy Ending, in which he had played the lead opposite Ileana D’Cruz, Saif Ali Khan is returning to production with filmmaker Jay Shewakramani. Their family comedy will feature the 48-year-old actor in the lead and is directed by Nitin Kakkar, whose comedy Filmistaan, with Sharib Hashmi and Inaamulhaq, had won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 2013.

Titled Jawani Janeman, the film rolls in the first half of 2019. “I have worked with Saif as a creative producer on Race and Race 2 and we have been good friends since a long time. When I ventured out to produce a film on my own, Saif wanted to get back into it at the same time and this seemed like the perfect project for both of us,” Jay told Mirror, adding, “It is a coming-ofage story of a 40-year-old man and revolves around his relationship with his daughter.”

Nitin’s comedy kicks off the producer duo’s three-film collaboration. “Saif and I are big fans of Filmistaan. When I took the film to Nitin, he loved it and immediately came on board. Saif hasn’t delved into this space for a while now so he decided to produce the film alongside acting in it,” the filmmaker added.

Hussain Dalal, who wrote dialogues for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2 States and Fanney Khan, and is also a part of Ayan Mukerji’s Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt-starrer Brahmastra, has written dialogues for Saif’s film too. “The idea is to make a really funny film and Hussain is already ready with his draft,” Jay informs, adding that his team will begin the recce soon. “There will be extensive readings with the cast once everyone is locked. We will be spending some time on giving Saif’s character the perfect look.”

Buzz was that the makers have roped in Saif and Amrita Singh’s daughter, Sara Ali Khan, for the film as well. Jay refutes it, saying, “We haven’t cast anyone yet.”
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As he launches his second production house, Saif Ali Khan kicks off nationwide hunt for debutant for his next; daughter Sara Ali Khan was previously rumoured to do the film
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 3, 2018)

The industry was abuzz with speculations of Saif Ali Khan and daughter Sara sharing screen space in Filmistaan director Nitin Kakkar's next, after the filmmaker admitted to offering a project to the duo.

While the rumours of collaborating with his daughter were later quashed by Saif, mid-day has now learnt that the family comedy - tentatively titled Jawani Jaaneman - will launch a new face instead. The chosen one will reportedly essay the role of Saif's daughter.

Interestingly, the movie will also mark the star's return to production under his newly launched banner, Black Knight Films. It may be noted that Happy Ending (2014) was the last project to have come out of Saif's previous banner, Illuminati Films.

A source close to the development reveals that the makers are already conducting auditions across metro cities for the female lead. "Since it is an author-backed role, the makers are on the lookout for someone who is talented enough to pull off the part. Casting director Shruti Mahajan has started screening aspirants from across the country. They are keen to zero in on a girl in the next two months so that they can prep her for the big debut, well before the film rolls early next year."

Jay Shewakramani of Northern Light Films, who is co-producing the project with Saif, is currently neck-deep in auditions. He says, "Besides conducting nationwide screen tests, Shruti has reached out to agents in the UK and the US as well."

Shewakramani adds that the "clean, fun family comedy" is right up Saif's alley. "The film revolves around a 40-something man refusing to grow up and act his age. Saif and I have successfully worked together creatively in Race (2008) and Race 2 (2013) [Shewakramani was the creative producer at Tips]. We are close friends and understand each other's creative ideas."
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Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 3, 2018)

Nine years ago, Saif Ali Khan had set up his production house, Illuminati Films, with his friend and partner Dinesh Vijan. The duo worked well together and made films such as Love Aaj Kal (2009), Cocktail (2012) and Go Goa Gone (2013). The last movie under the banner was Happy Ending, which released in 2014. Later, Dinesh set up his own production house. Now, we have learnt that Saif, too, has taken a similar route.

Says a source, “Saif had been planning to set up his own banner and start producing films again. He has the business and creative acumen for it and was looking to get an entire team in place before the big announcement.” However, he won’t be reviving Illuminati Films. “His new production house will be called Black Knight Films. The actor-producer will join hands with long-time friend Jay Shewakramani and their first project together is likely to be Filmistaan director, Nitin Kakkar’s next, which is a family comedy,” adds the source.

After Hrs was the first to tell you that Saif and his daughter Sara were in talks to play father-daughter in the same film.

We also told you later that Sara wasn’t a part of the project anymore. An insider, who is also working for the banner, confirms, “There was speculation about Sara working with her father in the film directed by Nitin, but things didn’t work out. Now, the makers will cast a fresh face. Saif and Jay are personally looking into the casting as the actor believes that an author-backed role like this is perfect for a debutante. They have also planned an extensive launch campaign for the new actress whom they will introduce in this movie.”

Jay confirmed the development and said, “I had been working at Tips for more than a decade in the capacity of a creative producer. Having learnt production with Ramesh Taurani, it had prepared me to venture out on my own and be a part of the stories that I would like to tell. That’s how Northern Lights Films was born. I had seen Filmistaan and really liked it. So, when I ventured out from Tips, the first director I approached was Nitin Kakkar. Around that time, I was developing the script of Jawaani Jaaneman (that’s the title of the film); I narrated it to Nitin who loved it and that’s how it all fell in place.”

With a few other commitments left to be completed, Saif’s new production house will start work from March 2019. It seems exciting times lie ahead for the Baazaar actor.