What does JC stand for? That’s what we wondered when the Abhay Verma and Shanaya Kapoor-starrer, so titled, was announced last March. Well, now that the comic caper is nearing its release, producer Vikesh Bhutani is ready to unveil the official name. “Jacob Cardoso is its full title,” he told mid-day.

Directed by Shujaat Saudagar, the comedy is reportedly set in 1987. “It’s a beautiful film set in Goa, around the time when it was becoming a state. It’s a period caper,” added Bhutani.

Jacob Cardoso went on floors in March 2025 and was wrapped up in two months. It will mark Kapoor’s second release of the year after Tu Yaa Main, while Verma has another significant offering in Laikey Laikaa. As Bhutani is readying the film for release later this year with co-producer Saudagar, he further shared, “By the first week of March, we may announce the release.”

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer King, which also marks actor-daughter Suhana Khan’s first theatrical release, is finally set in motion. Last week, mid-day had reported a slight delay in the shoot, which was supposed to go on floors on May 16 (After the conflicts, before normalcy, May 12). Now, well-placed sources tell us that director Siddharth Anand has begun filming the ambitious action drama, though sans the King himself. However, Suhana and Munjya (2024) find actor Abhay Verma have begun shooting in Mehboob studio. “Though initially Abhay was to join around June–July, some scheduling changes have happened,” informs a source.

It is the first time the father-daughter duo will share screen space in a film, after featuring together in an advertisement directed by Shah Rukh’s director-actor son Aryan Khan. Suhana had made her acting debut two years ago with Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies, which premièred on Netflix.

We have also learnt that Shah Rukh is expected to join the shoot a little later. Besides the scenes with the two young actors, Anand has also shot some action sequences. “Some of the action that involves Shah Rukh’s body double have been shot already. [The makers have ensured] massive security to avoid leaks from their set [in Bandra],” says another insider of the film that has Deepika Padukone playing a key role. King also stars Rani Mukerji — reportedly as Suhana’s mother — and Abhishek Bachchan as the antagonist. The movie, expected to arrive in theatres next year, also features Anil Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, Arshad Warsi, and Jackie Shroff in pivotal parts.

In his own words, 2024 has been a “dreamy year” for actor Abhay Verma, and rightly so. After being in the industry for six years, it was this year’s horror-comedy Munjya that finally catapulted him to the limelight.

He says, “A lot of good beginnings have happened to me this year. It feels like a new life when you finally feel accepted by the audience. Suddenly, your signature becomes your autograph, your admirers become your fans.”

The 26-year-old adds, “2024 has been a dreamy year for me. From doing ads to becoming a brand ambassador, it is just amazing. The fact that I don’t need to introduce myself now is a great feeling.”

Interestingly, Verma reveals that three days prior to Munjya’s release, he was quite worried about his financial state: “I called up my best friend in my hometown (Panipat, Haryana), as I had only Rs. 1,200. But everything panned out well [post the film’s release]. I knew that Munjya was going to shift gears for me, be it the second gear or reverse.”

In 2024, all the Hindi films that crossed the Rs. 100-crore mark at the Indian box office had established actors in them except Munjya. Ask him about being a part of the coveted club as a relative newcomer, and Verma replies, “That decision was made by the audience. To get my name added with such legendary people is too good to be true.”

Verma also acknowledges the responsibility that comes with his newfound acceptance: “People are calling me a symbol of hope for newcomers. So, it’s a collective win for all of us. If one person gets a chance, 100 people find hope to live in this beautiful city (Mumbai). Earlier, I didn’t know what to pray for, but I know that now — it is not to lose this.”

Being recognised as an actor has given Verma opportunities to meet some of the people he idolizes. One of those is filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. Verma recalls, “Imtiaz sir said that it’s fortunate to find acceptance in the industry. ‘Enjoy it, but don’t let it go over your head’, he said.”

His name has been associated with actor Shah Rukh Khan’s King, too. Mention that and he says, “I don’t know if it will happen, but I hope that it does. That will give me a chance to work with the person whom I idolize and almost see as God.”