Is Hrithik Roshan’s Krrish 4 happening? Well, rumours suggested that creative and financial disagreements between the superstar and producer Aditya Chopra had resulted in the superhero film being stalled. But now, mid-day has got all the details from the horse’s mouth. When we reached out to filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, he asserted that the highly anticipated movie will roll this year. 

“It’s all nonsense that Hrithik has asked for a Rs 500 crore budget for top-tier VFX and world-class action for his directorial debut, while YRF [Yash Raj Films] wants to cap costs at Rs 350 crore. Making a good film catering to a [wide] audience takes time. Even I have taken time for each of my Krrish offerings,” said the senior filmmaker. 

The fourth instalment of the much loved franchise was first announced in 2018. At the time, Karan Malhotra of Agneepath (2012) fame was at the helm, with Siddharth Anand as the co-producer. In the subsequent years, Malhotra and Anand exited the project, and in 2025, Roshan Senior announced that Hrithik would turn director with it.

It’s been over a year since then, and the superhero film still hasn’t gone on floors. Reason? The filmmaker indicated that the delay is because Hrithik is tied up with the production house that he launched this year.

“Krrish [Hrithik] is on another planet and we are all waiting for his dates,” he joked, before adding, “There are no issues; all is smooth. It’s teamwork between Adi, Hrithik, and me.”

The script is almost finalised and the makers are planning to take it on floors by the year-end. Refraining from putting a timeline to it, Roshan teased, “I will update you when everything is ready.”

Ahaan Panday and Ananya Panday dancing to ‘Saat Samundar’ at Alanna Panday’s sangeet; (right) Ahaan dancing to ‘I Am The Best’

He is not an internet star, but even before he broke out with Saiyaara (2025), Ahaan Panday was already being talked about. The reason? His dance videos from sister Alanna Panday’s wedding had gone viral. While everyone expected Yash Raj Films (YRF) and Mohit Suri to cash in on it in his debut film, the director opted to keep his character intense. But here’s the clincher — fans wanted to see him dance. So, in his second, yet-untitled film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Ahaan will play the quintessential larger-than-life hero, complete with dance numbers.

“Ahaan, [who is currently shooting in the UK], is going to can a dance number next month, prep for which is underway. A four-day shoot for the song is being planned in Manchester. The sequence will show Ahaan in his effortless best and that’s how Aditya Chopra and Ali want to present him onscreen,” informs a source, adding that the shoot will happen at the end of the UK schedule.

YRF will lock a top choreographer for the number in the next few days “because the visual and dance forms have to be unlike anything YRF has done before”.

“Apart from daily dance rehearsals, he has also been working on stamina, body conditioning, camera [placements], music beats, expressions, signature hooksteps, and building the effortless swagger needed for a big Bollywood hero song since the number is designed as a high-energy commercial track mounted on a large scale,” adds the source.

Three decades in, and Rani Mukerji isn’t looking back, she’s looking ahead. With 71 films, a fiercely individual journey, and a National Award arriving right on cue, she stands as both a rarity and a reinvention in motion. In an industry quick to sideline women post marriage and motherhood, she’s quietly rewritten the rules, choosing honesty over hype, and substance over noise. At 30 years, this doesn’t feel like a culmination. If anything, it feels like a reset. On the new episode of the Bombay Times Lounge, which dropped this week on the Bombay Times YouTube channel, Rani reflects on the road behind and the road still unfolding.

It feels like I am starting a new journey, because obviously, when I see my earlier films, I don’t look the same. Also, now with my daughter turning 10, I think I’ll have more time to devote to films. I constantly want to reinvent and bring across a Rani to my audience that they haven’t seen before. I’ve been so fortunate that directors, writers and producers have thought of me for these amazing characters that I’ve got to play for the last decade, and that’s the decade where I got married and had a child. Fortunately, that didn’t come in the way of a director choosing me for a role. So, in a way, the audiences and the industry have helped me shatter the glass ceiling. They always say that once you go the family way, it’s the end of the road for an actress. But that’s not always true.

Having said that, while I love being an actress, I enjoy the whole part of being a housewife. I enjoy the fact that I’m a mother to my daughter. I enjoy that I get to look after my husband (Aditya Chopra). It gives me immense joy to see my husband and my daughter support me in my journey in films, as this kind of support is so important for every woman. I know there are so many women who probably want to go out there and work, but don’t have the kind of support they wish they had. So, I’m very grateful for what I have, and I always tell myself to not ever take these things for granted.

I always give importance to the story that needs to be told, without thinking about the box office and other things that come with it. The audience always connects with honesty, irrespective of the genre. The problem happens when stories are adulterated just for the benefit of the box office. Audiences are sensitive enough and instinctive, they can sense a good story and a good film. They are looking for genuine stories, so it is important to be honest about what you are doing.

It felt surreal. I think it was saved for this moment, probably because my daughter was old enough to understand what this means. The only regret I feel is that my dad, who was always my cheerleader, was not there to see it. My National Award has made my fans and well-wishers happier than me, as they have rooted for me all these years.

The change happened instantly. Seeing that little baby, that little piece of your heart and soul, changes everything in a moment. When you talk about the concept of love at first sight and falling in love with someone instantly, I feel the whole concept started when a mother had a baby. Seeing your baby for the first time changes that concept of love at first sight for mothers. That love for your child is unconditional, and it’s something you can’t describe. It could also be a one-way love because you don’t know how much the baby will love you back and for how long (laughs). But really, for me, love at first sight happened with Adira.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black. I think Black taught me to be grateful for the little things that we take for granted – like how we are able to see, talk, hear and walk. The film taught me to be grateful for the gift of being alive.

It was such a happy moment, as it was something that we both were so excited about. I started my journey in the movies with Shah Rukh Khan, and to receive my first National Award standing next to him – that in itself was an honour for me.

Recently, Adira wrote a letter to me where she declared me “the best mom in the world”. For me, that’s the best compliment, and nothing beats that.

Bobby Deol.

Shah Rukh Khan.

Iconic — the adjective doesn’t just describe the body of work, but the man behind it as well. Filmmaker-host-actor Karan Johar, in a candid chat on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra, talks about everything under the sun — his upcoming films and the underworld threat looming large over the film industry to the rumours around a possible comeback of a much-loved film. Excerpts

There is no Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham 2 (K3G2), and there is no derivative of Takht being made. I’d never make a K3G2. I’m not saying K3G was the best film ever made, not at all. Every film has its flaws, but what K3G has in abundance is nostalgia. Generations have grown up watching that film — for what they’ve loved, what they haven’t, what they’ve cried about and laughed with. They love the movie, and I’m very grateful to the universe that I got to create a film that still lives on. I would never mess with that nostalgia or the love the film has, because you’re setting yourself up for disaster when you make a film like K3G2. So yes, the absolute truth is there is no K3G2.

Three decades in cinema, and over the course of 71 films, Rani Mukerji has navigated romance, drama, comedy and fierce, socially charged roles with equal conviction, constantly redefining what longevity for a leading woman in Bollywood can look like. From early films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Saathiya and Hum Tum, to powerful intense roles in films like Black, Hichki, Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, to the successful Mardaani franchise – her career has been marked by reinvention and a refusal to be boxed in by industry stereotypes. In a special Women’s Day conversation on the Bombay Times Lounge, she speaks about shattering the glass ceiling, channelling her angst around crimes against women through her art, and embracing vulnerability in a world that constantly expects women to “have it all together.”

I do feel that many of these roles helped shape the conversation around how women are portrayed in our cinema. My characters have often been written with agency and emotional intelligence. Hum Tum marked a shift towards urban, contemporary storytelling. Black beautifully portrayed the strength of the human spirit and a woman’s ability to rise above immense challenges. In Mardaani, my character broke stereotypes by portraying a tough, morally driven police officer, proving that women-led stories could thrive in action-driven narratives. No One Killed Jessica highlighted the power of women standing up against injustice. Hichki was a heart-warming story that addressed inclusivity and learning disabilities with great sensitivity. With Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, I had the opportunity to anchor an intense and emotionally powerful narrative almost single-handedly.

I think it is important that certain things hurt you, as you can then make them into building blocks for your life, instead of letting it pull you down. To be resilient at times when you have been hurt shows true character. It is normal to go through that; it is part of growing up and part of evolving as a true artiste. Also, I think to live your life according to somebody else’s opinion of you is not an intelligent thing to do. In life, no one thing remains constant, so if people didn’t like my voice back then, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t like it forever. You can’t take what people tell you at first instant too much to heart. I’m very, very grateful for the comments – good and bad – because they have shaped me into the person and the actor that I am today.

What has changed in the 12 years is that today, women are not willing to be silenced. They have a strong opinion; they are finding their voice and want their voice to be heard. Women have always associated the word fear since childhood. At some point in our lives, most of us have faced untoward situations. It happened to me. It’s probably happened to you. It happens to women, irrespective of their age and where they come from. And it doesn’t only happen outside, it happens within the walls of our homes too. All these experiences have hardened us in their own way, and the problem also is that women trust people easily. Today, we have no choice but to tell our children to be less trusting of people around them. It is something that has disturbed me from my younger days, and not being able to do anything about it makes me angry. The only way to channelize that is through my work, my art form. And having a daughter (Adira) changes the way you look at everything. Now my niece is 18, and she wants to be independent and travel and it worries me. It’s like a part of you is out there. Crimes (like in Mardaani) are happening as we speak. That is our reality. The film raises pertinent questions and talks about these uncomfortable truths. Today, we are living in scary times.

It is very difficult. I don’t think it is easy for women in any position. It generally comes from an attitude where no one wants to be scolded by a woman, no one wants to get a dressing down from a woman. For many, seeing women in a position of power can be unsettling. I think it’s more about the male ego, which comes into the picture. I have navigated this and also dodged it. You know, when people ask me why I cut down on doing so many films, the reason was a conscious one where I wanted to work with like-minded people. There comes a time in your life when you are in a position where you can pick and choose the people who you want as part of your journey. Especially after having my daughter, I think it’s so important that she knows what I am doing means something and that mamma is part of a story that has to be told.

Yes, absolutely! Not to say that I don’t love doing romantic roles. I really love romances and I am still waiting for somebody to write a really lovely love story.

Of course, we all go through that process and it’s natural to go through different hormonal changes which we have no control over. I don’t think we should fight it. But if there is education around these emotional journeys that women have to go through at every decade of our life, it will make life easier. If you have mood swings, it’s fine. It is okay to get exasperated. On some days, you’re so tired that your emotions get all mixed up with your physical exhaustion and you break down. Also, I think, this whole thing that we’ve always been told that women have to be strong to handle everything, that myth should be broken. Women should be given a break, because suppressing our emotions is the worst thing that we can do to our bodies and health. Sharing our sadness, confusions and the dilemmas that we go through with our close ones is important. A strong support system during such times can make a huge difference.

In the beginning, seeing the pride in my parents’ eyes made my life. Then, of course, came my husband (Aditya Chopra), and now, it’s my daughter. It’s important that people close to you and your inner circle are truly proud of you and root for you. That means a lot to me. The complete interview with Rani Mukerji will drop soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel

What is Bollywood’s newest star, Ahaan Panday, doing after the smashing success of Saiyaara? Moving full-throttle into his second film, an action drama to be helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar.

mid-day has learnt that the director is headed to the UK in December for a month-long recce before the shoot kicks off in February 2026.

Sources tell us that the action drama, produced by Aditya Chopra, will be primarily shot in London, Birmingham, and Manchester, with some portions planned in Leeds.

A source breaks it down further, saying, “Ahaan’s Saiyaara made upwards of Rs 550 crore globally. That has given Ali and Aditya Sir the confidence to go all out with his second film. For most part of December, the director will scout for locations in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds that will add to the storytelling when they are presented on the big screen. Almost 80 to 90 per cent of the movie will be shot in England.”

We’ve heard that Panday is simultaneously prepping for the project, especially since this will be his introduction to the action genre.

The source adds, “His debut film presented him as a devoted romantic hero. With the second venture, Aditya sir wants to project him as an action-romance star. He has been undergoing hand-to-hand combat training and weapon training.”

“I am obsessed with how I portray India on screen,” says John Abraham. The actor recently played the role of a diplomat (The Diplomat, 2025) and a police officer (Tehran, 2025). Earlier, he has portrayed an IAS officer in Parmanu and a police officer in films like Force and Batla House. On the other hand, he has also been part of comedy films like Housefull 2 and played the quintessential antihero in Pathaan. In a recent chat, the actor-producer speaks to us about how he occupies two different worlds depending upon whether he is wearing a producer’s hat or an actor’s hat.

John says that he occupies two cinematic worlds depending upon which hat he is wearing. As a producer, he wants to make a difference with the kind of films he produces, and as an actor he loves action and comedy films.

“As a producer, I can’t produce a Housefull (2010) kind of a film. But as an actor, I did a Housefull 2 (2012). As a producer, there are a lot of films that I cannot do. I’m not equipped to do them. But as an actor, I fit in. Like Pathaan (2023) – it is too big a film for me to even fathom producing at this point of time. That’s for the calibre of an Aditya Chopra, who can conceive and make a film like that. As an actor, I want to do films like Pathaan because I enjoy the space. I enjoy doing films like Dostana (2008) and Desi Boyz (2011). Maybe at some point I’ll transition to producing these big-budget films, but at this point – no! So, as an actor, it’s a different mindset and as a producer, it’s a different mindset.”

John adds that even when he’s making commercial films, there’s intention behind it. “Commercial films toh karni hi hai. As John Abraham the star, action is inseparable. But I also crave depth.”

Speaking at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, John says that he keeps rejecting offers worth crores for endorsing pan masala brands or to dance at weddings. “The decision of whether you want to do certain things in your career that actually do not speak for who you really are – that’s a moral choice and a subconscious choice. Pan masala, for example. They give us a lot of money. But would I endorse pan masala? I wouldn’t. Again, I’m not pointing a finger at people who do. I’m talking about what is right and wrong for me. I would not do it because I think it is possibly dangerous for someone’s health. I made a choice that I won’t dance at marriage functions. Now, is it right or wrong? It’s not wrong. Actors do it. Nothing wrong with it. The Beyoncés of the world are coming to dance at our weddings here. It’s a personal choice. But would I do it? No,” he says, adding, “There are certain moral choices I make in my life as a person that probably go against the grain of my job.”

John says that he is fully aware of his image as an action star. He says, “You can’t fake sincerity. You must live the role. With The Diplomat, the compliment I cherished the most was people saying, ‘Only your facial muscles acted.’” To essay the role of diplomat J P Singh in the film, John met him multiple times, observed him and exchanged notes.

He says, “Diplomats are incredibly sharp. Our diplomats like Mr S Jaishankar, J P Singh – they command such respect. I met many real officers and was awestruck by their calmness and dedication.”

Talking about Tehran he says, “I research a lot, I know what I’m presenting. We were very careful with Tehran. We showed all sides with fairness. My grandfather came from Iran in 1939. My mother still speaks Farsi. I had to learn it for the film. So there’s an emotional connection. It’s in my blood.”

If the universe had listened to Anurag Kashyap’s wish, Nishaanchi would have been released eight years ago with late Sushant Singh Rajput in the lead. But each film has its destiny, and the upcoming crime drama was destined for Aaishvary Thackeray.

The filmmaker recalls, “Sushant Singh Rajput agreed to play the lead, and we had made an announcement too. But then he changed his mind as he signed two big commercial films — Drive [2019] and Dil Bechara [2020]. After that, I met other actors and they all wanted to do bigger movies. Then I decided to wait for a newcomer, who would be good enough to pull off this role.”

Kashyap’s eight-year wait paid off. Today, he is launching Thackeray and Vedika Pinto with Nishaanchi, which tells the story of twins Babloo and Dabloo who have contrasting life values. “If I hadn’t found Aaishvary, I’d still be sitting on this script,” says the director, adding that the debutant’s showreel left him impressed.

“In his showreel, Aaishvary did the most difficult monologues, including one of Manoj Bajpayee’s from Shool [1999]. When I cast Aaishvary and Vedika, I told their parents that if they’re doing this film, they cannot be doing anything else. They kept getting offers, but they said no to everything and trusted me. It’s difficult to mount a film like Nishaanchi if the newcomers take up another project and that doesn’t turn out to be good enough. It’s like what Aditya Chopra did with Ahaan Panday.”

As soon as Nishaanchi’s trailer dropped online, Kashyap’s fans compared it to Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012). The filmmaker says the crime drama is his attempt to go beyond the 2012 offering.

“After Wasseypur, everybody kept offering me the same thing. I wanted to step away from that. There’s more to North India than Wasseypur and gaalis. With Nishaanchi, I made a family drama with seeti-maar dialogues, like a Deewar [1975] or Trishul [1978], rather than a gangster film.”

Saiyaara has broken global records and won hearts over the past two weeks. The craze reached unprecedented levels, with people thronging the theatres, and the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer transitioned from being a young love story to a phenomenon. On The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra this week, we got the captain of the ship, director Mohit Suri, to decode the film:

It feels good to receive this love. I have been spending time with my wife (Uditaa Goswami; actor) after the release, she’s been asking me to do household things (laughs). But I take some time for myself daily from 6.30 pm to 9 pm, as I get calls from all over the country. I’ve told her to just let me feel the love. It’s taken me 20 years to be here.

He has known me since I was a child, assisting on the sets of (Awara Paagal Deewana; 2002) with Vikram Bhatt (filmmaker). We tried to work together a couple of times, but things never fell into place. Even when Aashiqui 2 (2013) and Ek Villain (2014) had done well [he encouraged me]. He never lost faith in me. For him to come out there publicly... It’s something very few people do. What else can I ask for?

We were shooting the piano scene, when Vaani (Aneet’s character) gets Krish’s (Ahaan’s character) name wrong. The way Ahaan gave that shot, and the way Aneet spoke... that was the day. I turned to our creative producer (Sumana Ghosh) and said, “I don’t know about the fate of this film, but I know we are making a great one”. When Adi sir (Aditya Chopra, producer) saw the movie in its loosest form, he said, “No matter how much this opens at, it’s going to do at least Rs. 100 crore”. I was in class eight when I saw his movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) in the theatre. I said, “This is the kind of film I want to make someday”. For him to say this... that’s what an experienced producer should do. That’s when we felt we were making something special. While the collections are most welcome, this love is something I really wanted.

Before giving us glimpses of chase sequences, aerial stunts, and action set-pieces, the trailer of War 2 opens with something unexpected. In the first 80 seconds of the two-minute-plus trailer, Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s characters are heard pledging to serve the country above all else. It turns out producer Aditya Chopra and director Ayan Mukerji decided to incorporate this oath, a feature that will now be extended to all the films in the YRF Spy Universe.

In the August 14 release that also stars Kiara Advani, Roshan reprises his role of R&AW agent-gone-rogue Kabir Dhaliwal from War (2019), and Jr NTR is seen as part of the same intelligence agency. A source reveals that the two characters take this oath, as trainee agents, at a swearing-in ceremony.

“Adi and Ayan wanted a motto that would not only form the foundation for Hrithik and Jr NTR’s characters, but would also tie the other characters of the spy universe together. So, Adi and writer Shridhar Raghavan penned this shapath. Henceforth, all undercover agents — from Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to Salman Khan’s Tiger — will be seen taking the same oath,” says the source.

Raghavan, the head writer of the franchise and screenplay writer of Pathaan (2023) and Tiger 3 (2023), confirms the development. To him, the pledge, India first, sums up the ethos of each spy in the banner’s fictional world. “India first was always their driving force. From now, it will be the war cry of every agent in this spy universe,” he shares.

The oath had another purpose in War 2, he reveals. “Adi was clear that he did not want a single plot point to be given out in the trailer. So, we created a fictional oath that the agents take during their induction into the deadly covert task forces. It mirrors the film’s dramatic story. Hrithik and Jr NTR are mirror images of each other, both bound by the call of duty to protect India — then why are they battling each other? The idea was to play on the intrigue.”

Even a filmmaker who has delivered many hits over his 20-year career can be anxious and nervous ahead of a film’s release. Director Mohit Suri, whose Saiyaara hit the screens on July 18, says he feels an enhanced sense of responsibility with the film.

He reasons, “My actors are new. This is my first collaboration with a company [Yash Raj Films] that is known for their love stories. I was always the youngest one on the set when I started out. Now I am a grown-up, shouldering people who bank on me.”

Suri is telling a love story of a young musician and a lyricist with the film that launches Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in Bollywood. He remembers producer Aditya Chopra telling him early on that the love story needed new faces. How did he end up zeroing in on Panday and Padda?

“Ahaan was doing something with YRF before, which didn’t work out. I met him a couple of times, and his audition wasn’t working for me. I was going to meet him and say no. So, we went for a last dinner. That turned out to be a mad, raging night, where he was no longer trying to impress me. That’s when I saw the real him and saw the character come alive. I told him to stop calling me sir; he got into a bro-zone with me. When he stopped pretending to be somebody, I found the magic in him. For the girl, I went through a lot of people and a lot of rejection. Some really good options came to me, but I wanted a girl who comes from a Punjabi background – a city girl with middle-class values. It was after four months that I found Aneet.”

In March, mid-day reported about the similarities between the plots of Saiyaara and filmmaker Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled next with Kartik Aaryan (Many renditions of a rockstar’s romance, March 6). Both films look at how heartbreak influences a musician’s journey.

Ask Suri about the similarities, and he says, “I’m very close to Dada [Basu]. I have worked as an assistant [to him]. So, I met him when he called. He has the right to do that. I went and narrated this film to him. He had started his film and I had finished mine by then. He didn’t seem worried in the least. There was a Rockstar [2011] being made when I was making Aashiqui 2 [2013]. This is not Interstellar [2014] that we would worry about."

Suri had his own challenges in the film, one to live up to his own expectations and secondly to save himself from self- censoring. He says, "You know, there's a really interesting scene in the film where he gets violent with his own father. And I remember while coming in one day I saw Yash ji's statue outside. I called Mahesh Bhatt. I said, 'There's a scene that I'm shooting in the film. And this is a really good production house and I might be pushing (the envelope) too much. Maybe my morality is different, but the father and son in my film are getting violent with each other in the middle of the road'. It's emotional for me because I didn't realize my DP profile was a picture of my hand with my son's hand. And he said that, 'I know what your relation with your father was, and seeing your DP picture I know where it comes from. No matter what you do better, I know you wont get this scene morally wrong. Don't question yourself. I think the morality of the filmmaker cannot be to be agreeable. The audience will always get the honesty of a maker'."

Commerce is a big aspect of a Mohit Suri movie. "You need to make money for people to keep making films. I've been on the film set since I was 17 and I'm 44 today. More than 50% of my life, I've spent on set. I've been directing for 20 years. I have to keep giving that box office so called successes so that I can keep making films for the rest of my life."

We ask him what he thinks is broken in the system that films are not making money? "I think that there needs to be a certain discipline in how much we make a movie. The budgets of it. The problem is creative people are thinking about economics. And economics people are thinking creatively. I find at get-togethers, people talk either about fashion or business. No one's talking about a story. When we were young and our seniors got into parties, they spoke about art. I think now they talk about business and tie ups and profitability. So I think we need to bring the art back. Money will follow."

Actor Junaid Khan acknowledged the perks of his famous lineage while insisting he wants to be known for his own talent. In an interaction with us, the actor said being Aamir Khan’s son does make things easier for him. “I do come from a very wealthy family,” Junaid said, reflecting on his father’s massive influence.

“Papa is respected, loved and powerful. There are privileges that come with that. I generally benefited from them.”

Talking about whether his career would’ve been different without his father’s influence, Junaid says, “Yes, Aditya Chopra knows who I am because I’m Aamir Khan’s son. He doesn’t come to Prithvi theatre to watch plays. Most people know me because I am Aamir Khan’s son. But I have been fortunate that there are few comparing me to him. Basically people are judging me by my own talent and trajectory in my career so far, which is a good thing in a way. It will be tough if I am compared to my father.”

Junaid says that he won’t be able to recreate his father’s roles mainly because of the height difference between the two. “And frankly, why mess with something that’s already there?, he says.

Junaid revealed that Aamir Khan offered practical guidance during the making of Maharaj but avoided shaping his acting choices.

“Papa didn’t have much to do with Maharaj. He’d heard the story and liked it but asked me if I was sure I wanted to take on such a big film early in my career. He saw the final cut and liked it, but with him, if you need specific advice, he’ll always give you solid, practical advice, like how to stay warm shooting in the rain or how not to squint when the lights are too bright. He is not one who will essentially hand out acting tips.”

When asked if he would reprise one of his father’s iconic roles, Junaid made his stance clear. “I wouldn’t want to play any of papa’s roles. Not really. There would be too many comparisons. And frankly, why mess with something that’s already there? Plus, a lot of the roles he does, I just wouldn’t be able to do, especially considering I’m twice his height. That makes a huge difference, particularly in films.”

— With inputs by Manas Mishra

War 2’s teaser gave us a peek into the face-off between Hrithik Roshan’s R&AW agent Kabir Dhaliwal and Jr NTR’s antagonist. As much as the fans loved the teaser, many had a question — ‘How about a glimpse of the two superstars’ dance-off?’ It turns out that the shoot of the much talked about dance-off, which was scheduled for the first week of March (I spy a dance war, March 4), had to be cancelled. Now, mid-day has learnt that director Ayan Mukerji is gearing up to film it in the last week of June.

The track will be filmed at Yash Raj Studio in Andheri, where a massive set will be built in the coming weeks.

A source reveals, “The makers had prepped for about two months and were ready to shoot this song in March. Unfortunately, it had to be cancelled after Hrithik injured his leg. With the superstar having recovered from the injury, the actors will begin their prep from the first week of June. Ayan has lined up a 10-day shoot in June-end, after which it will be a wrap on the spy thriller.”  

War 2, also starring Kiara Advani, is less than three months away from its August 14 release. The source adds that producer Aditya Chopra, and Ayan want to make the song a visual spectacle.

“The dance set-up is grand. A circular has been sent out to the crew about not carrying phones to the set. A 60-member security personnel has been hired to ensure photos don’t make their way online,” states the source.

akash.bhatnagar@​partner.hindustantimes.com

John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat this month made its way to OTT and has been earning rave reviews. While the web medium has become the go-to platform for everyone, including many stars, John, who also produced The Diplomat, has no plans to foray into OTT any time soon.

“To do OTT, you need a big office setup. You need a lot of people working towards something where you don’t even own the IP. You make a commission from the series and that goes into your overheads. So, I don’t see any sense in breaking a sweat on doing these series,” says the producer.

Does that mean the 52-year-old would never back an OTT project, even if it’s a substantial one? “I’d love to do that [as a creator]. But that would happen because I want to tell that story, not because I want to make a business model out of it.”

But how about foraying into the space as an actor? “At this point, I don’t want to come on OTT for a series or film. In my head, I believe I was made for the big screen. I have a lot of respect for OTT though, because most of the content, at least internationally, and some Indian projects too, are outstanding,” he responds.

Meanwhile, there’s buzz about a film on his character Jim from Pathaan (2023) being planned in the spy universe.

Mention this to John, and he says, “I’d love to work with (producer) Aditya Chopra again, because if there is one person who has positioned me perfectly as a hero or anti-hero, it’s him. First Dhoom (2004), then Kabul Express (2006), then New York (2009) and then Pathaan. So yes, I’d love to do a film in the spy universe.”

Onir's debut film My Brother Nikhil completed 20 years recently, Onir says that when he looks back at the film, he sees how the film continues to trigger conversations. In a recent chat, he looked back at the film and said he sees it as not a 20 but 30 years journey.

He says, "If I look back 30 years, since I came into the industry, and 20 years of My Brother Nikhil, I feel an immense sense of gratitude and happiness," he says. “I'm from Thimphu, Bhutan, born and raised in a middle-class family. As a boy in class eight, I had a dream to be a filmmaker. And to make my first film in the world’s largest film industry, to carve out even a tiny space for myself it’s empowering.”

Onir's debut film, My Brother Nikhil, released in 2005, was considered groundbreaking by critics. It told the story of Nikhil Kapoor, a champion swimmer diagnosed with HIV, at a time when cinema largely avoided LGBTQ+ narratives. The film was deeply personal for Onir, inspired by the life of Dominic D’Souza, India’s first known HIV/AIDS patient.

Dominic's story was so powerful that he couldn’t shake it off and started working on the film. “Even now, people message me about the film,” he shares. “Teenagers who watched it growing up say they felt seen, represented. Parents have told me it helped them understand their children better.”

During a recent screening celebrating 20 years of the film, Onir recalls a moment. “A woman stood up and said, ‘When I saw your last film, Pine Cone (2023), I learned something about my son that I had never understood. And when I watch My Brother Nikhil now, I realise that for so many years, I deprived my son of my love. The loss was mine, not just his."

Onir recalls walking the streets of San Francisco with lead actor Sanjay Suri after the first international screening. "People would shout, ‘Nikhil, we love you!’" he recalls.

Yet, in India, reactions were mixed. “At some screenings, audiences walked out at the interval when they realized Nikhil was gay. And despite critical acclaim, the industry did not recognize it. So I've never got any award in India, apart from my National Award in 2011 (For I Am), My brother Nikhil never got that recognition which was a little sad, but at the end of the day, after 20 years later, we are still talking about the firm and I feel that is beautiful. ”

The making of My Brother Nikhil was not easy. “Sanjay and his wife, Neha, cried when they read the script. Initially, I thought we’d shoot on a small video camera. But Sanjay said, ‘No, we have to make this into a film.’ They pooled personal savings and, along with friends, formed Four Front Films."

Yet, distribution was a nightmare. “Aisa kyu nahi kiya? They had all kinds of weird suggestions and there were people I remember from big distribution companies saying - are you showing us the rushes? So it was humiliating at times. And it was only when Sanjay showed the film to Karan (Johar) and Karan was really, really kind. It touched him. He suggested Aditya Chopra to watch the film, so for a debut person to get that big release - I felt that good energies got together, and made it possible, but it was not an easy journey. It took us years to recover because it was not easy. The struggle didn’t end with its release."

Onir admits, “But it was rewarding in other ways. The film is now archived in universities, cited in research. It has become part of Indian cinema history.”

Looking back, Onir sees progress but says, “In 2005, My Brother Nikhil got a U certificate and a theatrical release. In 2025, I still have to fight for certification, and queer films struggle even more for distribution. People talk about progress, but tell me, how many queer-themed films did you see in cinemas last year? Very few. Streaming has opened doors, but even there, truly path-breaking Indian films are rare. The last important one I remember was Kaathal - The Core, with Mammootty playing a gay man.”

The film’s perspective - told through the eyes of Nikhil’s sister was intentional. “In an ironic full-circle moment, my sister co-wrote my biography, I Am Onir, in 2022.”

On set, Onir was quite focused. They shot in 27 days on a tight budget in Goa. Juhi Chawla, playing Nikhil’s sister, was used to a different kind of filmmaking.

He recalls, "After a few days, she came to me and said, ‘It’s my 77th film, your first. But you have to tell me what to do - I am a director’s actor.’ That gave me confidence.”

For Onir, filmmaking is about humanizing experiences. He says that he is branded as a filmmaker who makes issue-based stories, but he doesn't tell stories to highlight an issue, but to show life.

What did he want to say through the film? Onir says, "For me, Dominic’s story stayed with me - the sheer cruelty and unkindness he faced from society. I wanted to tell this story to show that we all have the power to be better, to be more loving, understanding, and accepting. I remember feeling Dominic’s pain and anguish so deeply while making My Brother Nikhil that it became internalized in the film. When my father watched it, he called me and said, ‘But I was never like that to you.’ And I told him, ‘It was never about you.’(laughs).”

He says, "At the heart of the stories I tell is this question - Why do we hesitate to offer a little more love, empathy, and acceptance to others? It costs us nothing, yet it enriches our lives in ways we don’t always realize. I feel that, both then and now, queer people are constantly navigating a world where finding love and support is not always easy due to lingering stigma. When I was making My Brother Nikhil in 2005, I wanted to explore that reality. In many ways, at that time the film also reflected my own longing for a love that endures."

He adds, "I feel that the film also gave me precious people in my life, like Sanjay Suri, Juhi Chawla, my cinematographer, and my sound recordist, with whom I have now worked for 20 years on all my films. It gave me lasting bonds. People talk about bonding in the film fraternity, and I truly feel that I have found so much love in this industry. Of course, there have been hurdles, but I believe I have found more love than challenges. I could be who I am today only because of the support I received even as an outsider in the film industry."

Sanjay Suri was always on Onir's mind for Nikhil. When it came to casting Juhi, Onir says that beyond her talent, she has this warmth and innocence and her smile alone radiates so much love. He says, "I was telling the story of a gay character - one of the first in mainstream Hindi cinema - and the audience was still raw about it. I felt that I needed an actor with a certain presence, someone whose warmth and sincerity could resonate with viewers. Juhi has such a warm, loving smile, and I believed that when the audience her character's love toward her brother, it would help them connect emotionally and be more accepting. For me, it was her innocence, warmth, and that beautiful smile that made her perfect for the role. Of course, I already knew what she could do as an actor."

One scene that deeply touched me was the moment by the sea, when Juhi's character is at the sea and Sanjay is dying. She tries to be strong, but when Nigel tells her she must keep going, she simply says, ‘I’m tired of being strong.’ I remember that while filming, we were all overwhelmed with emotion and all of us were crying - it was as if the fear of losing someone dear became real for all of us.

---------------------------------------

Who is a better dancer between Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR? The two superstars’ fans don’t have to pick a side just yet. They can give their verdict after seeing the actors shake a leg together in War 2. mid-day has learnt that starting today, director Ayan Mukerji will shoot a dance-off between Roshan and Jr NTR at Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. The sequence is part of the climax of the espionage thriller, which also stars Kiara Advani.

The dance-off’s idea apparently came from producer Aditya Chopra, who knew that pitting the two accomplished dancers against each other would serve as the movie’s biggest highlight. Chopra, along with Mukerji and choreographer Bosco Martis, then conceptualized the set-piece.

A source says, “While Adi was certain that War 2 would be a stylised actioner, he wanted the two superstars to groove together, since they are known for their energy and smooth moves. In the sequence, Hrithik, who reprises his role of R&AW agent Kabir Dhaliwal, makes his way to the hideout of the antagonist, portrayed by Jr NTR. What follows is an electrifying dance battle that segues into the climactic fight set-piece. The two actors have been rehearsing individually for the past 15 days. The makers have deliberately kept them apart so that when they lock horns in front of the camera, it will look natural.”

A grand set has been built by production designer Amrita Mahal Nakai, and Pritam has composed the fast-paced number. Over 500 dancers will be part of the song.

The source adds, “Knowing that the track will arouse curiosity among fans and the media, Adi has beefed up the security at the location. Phones are not allowed on the set, in a bid to ensure that pictures from the shoot don’t get leaked online. Each unit member has been given a badge to avoid a security breach.” After the song is wrapped up by March 10, War 2—which is the latest instalment in the YRF spy universe—will be almost complete.

There’s a definite crisis in the Hindi film industry. Films aren’t working as they should. South Indian cinema has taken over the Hindi market.

OTT is the easier alternative to excel in. For one, every middleclass home has a big-screen TV. And you can eat your home-cooked snacks, fresh off the air fryer. We need audiences to come back in droves, into cinemas—to see Hindi films!

Why’s that not happening, in the way it should? Here’s the real deal, straight from logic.

I’ve witnessed enough actors/producers/directors escape from their one primary responsibility—you’ve got one job—to make films, that sell tickets!

Yes, independent cinema; yes, cinema as art; yes, cinema that has a voice; yes, noir; yes, abstract; yes, brave new cinema; yes, cinema for festivals; yes, niche cinema… Why not, yes, cinema, that sells tickets?

Because everybody in this generation knows cinema, that is taught at film school—cinema in theory, cinema as technology. Yet, technically, anybody can be a filmmaker, or actor, without that one basic qualification—knowledge of the audience!

They don’t buy tickets themselves; why should their audience? Why not straightforward entertainment, then? Why not understand what made Raj Kapoor and Vijay Anand tick, with their audiences?

Their retrospective tributes ran to full houses across the country in 2024, defying all logic. Why not great music, created by human beans, not machines and synthesisers? Because everybody is evading the real reason for the collapse—simply, enough tickets are not being sold!

OTT is free; watching films on gadgets is free. But it’s not only about the filmmakers. The other side of this coin is equally and completely scary!

Let’s now look at the prohibitive cost of multiplex tickets, that is equally to blame for the decline in ticket sales.

A country where merely over two per cent of the total population pays income tax means that almost 98 per cent percent of the population earns an average of, roughly speaking, between Rs 15,000 to Rs 40,000 per month. How can they pay Rs 250, Rs 360, Rs 500, upwards, per ticket? They can’t!

So, the multiplex chain caters to only about two per cent of the country; what about the rest? Are they not entitled to see big cinema on the big screen?

But ’plexes are shutting down the single screens, and most of the lower and middle class audiences are watching films, four to seven weeks post the cinema release, on OTT. Or, especially the kids, hacking sites and watching films they pirate.

The ’plex sells popcorn and beverages at humongous prices. And mine their real-estate—by showing hours of ads, through parking charges, and asking producers/distributors to pay to show promotional material of their films.

The production sector doesn’t know their audience; the exhibitors are not in the business of cinema, they’re in the food and real estate business.

Now, what?

The basic difference between South Indian cinema industries and the Hindi film industry is one word—the bulk of that industry is made up of ‘stakeholders’ of the business. The bulk of the Hindi film industry is made up of employees!

There are very few stakeholders left in Bollywood: Aditya Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, Suneel Darshan are three that I can name offhand. They own their films.

So, let’s go back to the drawing board: let’s create a simpler ticket-pricing package; let’s keep our ownership, and become stakeholders. Let’s have a stake in the success of each film we make, each ’plex we build, each deal we do! Let’s be makers, and then go back to the cinemas.

The audience will come!