Dimple Kapadia with Naomika Saran; (right) late Rajesh Khanna

In the past few months, Naomika Saran, granddaughter of Dimple Kapadia and late Rajesh Khanna, has been spotted out and about in the city, most frequently outside Maddock Films’ office. Those in the business know what that means — a Bollywood debut is around the corner for the star kid.

Sure enough, a bit of digging revealed that Saran, the daughter of ‘Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi’ (1998) actor Rinke Khanna, is set to foray into Hindi cinema with a Dinesh Vijan production.

Sources told mid-day that a breezy romantic comedy has been zeroed in on for her debut. The project is expected to go on floors by mid-2026. A source shared, “Naomika has been training over the past year, undergoing acting and dance workshops. Dinesh and his team were clear that they didn’t want to announce her debut until she was completely ready.”

Interestingly, the film’s male lead has undergone a change. We’ve heard that the role was originally written with Agastya Nanda in mind. However, after discussions and scheduling issues, the makers are now in advanced talks with Vedang Raina, who was seen in ‘Jigra’ (2024).

“Vedang and Naomika have great chemistry. When the team saw them together, it just clicked. Vedang is currently shooting for Imtiaz Ali’s film and will then move to this movie,” added the source. 

The film will be helmed by a new director from the Maddock stable.