Actor Aditya Roy Kapur will headline filmmaker Milap Zaveri’s next feature, described by its makers as an “intense, violent and deeply emotional musical love story”.

The film, backed by producer Bhushan Kumar, is expected to go on floors later this year, with a theatrical release planned for 2027. Explaining the casting, Zaveri says, “Aditya has always had an amazing ability to portray love with power and emotional depth. Ever since Aashiqui 2 (2013), audiences have connected with him in stories driven by passion and heartbreak.”

He adds, “This character is heroic, intense, aggressive, and many notches above the madness of my film Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat (2025). I couldn’t think of anyone better than Adi to bring this character to life.”

Kumar adds, “Our association with Aditya goes back many years and I’m happy we’re coming together once again for a story that’s intense, emotional and mounted on a grand scale.”

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After delivering action entertainers such as Satyameva Jayate and Marjaavaan, filmmaker Milap Zaveri is teaming up with Aditya Roy Kapur for his next, a violent musical romantic drama. Speaking to Bombay Times, the director says the film draws from the emotional space of Aashiqui 2 and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, while promising a distinct identity of its own.

"The film is its own beast. It is in the genre of Deewaniyat, Aashiqui 2, but has its own uniqueness. This time I want to cater to masses and classes. Single screens and multiplexes," says Milap.

Explaining why Aditya was his first choice, the filmmaker adds, "Adi was my choice because he has a strong connect with masses and female audiences as proven in Aashiqui 2 and Malang. He is a terrific actor and looker and also has a great physique for action. He resonates superbly with musicals."

Milap, who recently collaborated with Harshvardhan Rane on Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, also dismissed any speculation that the two would not work together again.

"I will surely reunite with Harshvardhan Rane soon. I love him and he is my friend. Touchwood Harsh has his slate full with many exciting projects like Force 3, Silaa and soon we will surely do a film together," he ends.

The yet to be titled movie will go on the floors soon and is slated to release next year.

Aditya Roy Kapur was last seen in Metro... In Dino (2025), Anurag Basu's ensemble romantic drama. Before that, he headlined the action thriller Gumraah (2023).

In a 2025 interview, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha had revealed that Ajay Devgn had not spoken to him in the 18 years since their film, Cash (2007), had a poor run at the box office. Well, the good news is that creative differences, if any, between the two are a thing of the past. mid-day has exclusively learnt that the superstar and the director are in talks to reunite for a movie.

Since 2017, Sinha has gravitated towards social dramas, churning out Mulk (2017), Thappad (2020), and the recent Assi, among others. But he is changing gears for his next with Devgn.

A source revealed, “It will be the kind of larger-than-life entertainers that Anubhav used to make before — think Dus [2005] or Ra.One [2011]. Now, the director wants to try his hand again at an ambitious action movie.”

Who better than Devgn to headline an action film? From what we’ve heard, it was Devgn’s manager and producer Kumar Mangat Pathak who arranged the meeting between Sinha and the actor at the latter’s office.

The source elaborated, “After Cash, even though the duo did not speak, there wasn’t ever a direct disagreement. Anubhav had clarified that the disagreement was between the film’s producers and financiers. A few months ago, Kumar Mangat brought them together, and Anubhav pitched one of his three scripts to Ajay. The superstar, Mangat, as well as producer Bhushan Kumar instantly liked it, and the latter may come on board. Ajay asked Anubhav to make the scale bigger.” 

True to Sinha’s style, the action-heavy film will have strong elements of realism. If all goes well, it may roll by 2026-end.

Even as filmmaker Kabir Khan has begun shooting his next that is led by Kartik Aaryan, the actor has reported to the set of Anurag Basu’s romantic musical. It looks like the actor will juggle the two projects for some time to ensure that Basu’s film, reportedly titled ‘Tu Meri Zindagi Hai’, races towards completion. What’s brought on the rush? From what we have heard, the makers’ desire to arrive in cinemas before ‘Ramayana: Part 1’.

The Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash-led epic is expected to dominate screens upon its release this Diwali.

A source told mid-day, “Anurag and the makers want breathing space at the box office. They are aiming for a clean theatrical run without competition from a spectacle like ‘Ramayana’. October has one major release, ‘Drishyam 3’. So, producer Bhushan Kumar and Anurag are considering an October release.”

Aaryan and leading lady Sreeleela shot for a week in Kashmir, and will now move to Manali. The source added, “The idea is to wrap the bulk of the film before peak summer. Then Kartik will move to Kabir’s sports drama, while Anurag will lock his movie’s final cut.”

After reports about Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri helming a film on Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, we have learnt that it is based on Lt Gen K J S ‘Tiny’ Dhillon’s book, Operation Sindoor: The Untold Story of India’s Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan.

Speaking to us, Vivek, 52, calls the story both urgent and necessary. “I have always believed in telling stories that are uncomfortable but necessary. My effort is to bring this story of courage, professionalism, and strategic clarity to audiences with authenticity, while also presenting it as an edge-of-the-seat cinematic experience,” he tells us.

The project, co-produced by Vivek’s I Am Buddha Production and Bhushan Kumar’s T-series, will depict a detailed account of the operation that unfolded between May 6 and May 10, 2025.

The filmmaker adds, “We have conducted ground-level research in collaboration with multiple wings of the Armed Forces to understand not just what happened, but how and why it happened. What emerges is far more complex and precise than what’s available in the public domain.”

Meanwhile, Bhushan, 48, describes the film as more than just a retelling. “Some stories are not chosen; they choose you. Operation Sindoor is one such story,” he says, adding, “When a nation goes through events of such magnitude, it becomes important to document them truthfully.”

Further details, including casting and release timelines, are yet to be announced.

Om Raut, best known for Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, is likely to come on board to helm an upcoming actioner featuring Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal. The project, backed by Bhushan Kumar, is in the early stages of development. A source close to the production reveals that Raut has already pitched a script to the actors. “He has pitched a script and they are currently jamming over it. It is at a nascent stage,” the source states.

Interestingly, Milap Zaveri was earlier rumoured to be directing the venture. However, he has since been announced as the director of another film with the same production house, starring Harshvardhan Rane.

“The story by Om is completely different. He has not stepped into Milap’s shoes. If everything goes well, the film will go on floors this year,” the source adds. This will mark Bhushan and Om's reunion post the debacle of Adipurush.

Earlier while talking about Adipurush's performance at the box office, Om in an interview said, “Our first day was Rs. 70 crore, and that’s just in India. Our total box office was over Rs. 400 crore. So, the numbers were very large… With Adipurush, there was a loss of perception, not a loss of revenue. If the perception was positive, if the perception was under control, we would’ve seen an exorbitant number, which we did not see. That was disappointing.”

Actor Tiger Shroff’s recent work includes big-budget action films such as Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024) and appearances in projects like Singham Again (2024), continuing his image as one of Bollywood’s most prominent action stars, though some of his recent films have struggled critically and commercially.

Meanwhile, martial-arts specialist Vidyut Jammwal was last seen headlining the sports-action film Crakk: Jeetegaa… Toh Jiyegaa (2024) and also appeared as an antagonist in the Tamil film Madharaasi (2025), maintaining his reputation for physically demanding action roles. Filmmaker Om Raut, on the other hand, last directed the mythological epic Adipurush (2023), starring Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan, a high-budget adaptation inspired by the Ramayana that generated massive buzz but received mixed to negative responses.

Filmmaker Priyadarshan, known for some of Hindi cinema’s most loved comedies, is clear about what he concerns himself with – making films and moving on. In a chat with us, he addressed rumours around his films, the culture of sequels and what excites him about his current slate of work.

The release of his next film, Bhooth Bangla, headlined by Akshay Kumar, has been brought ahead, and it will now arrive in cinemas in April. Talking about it, Priyadarshan says, “I have no idea why that was done. It was entirely the decision of the makers (Akshay Kumar, Ektaa Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor). As far as I’m concerned, the film is ready. We were originally planning to release it in May, but the makers said that some big films were releasing at that time. Then suddenly, I got a call from Ektaa asking if we could release it earlier. I said okay because once I am done with the film, I don’t get involved in those matters.”

Recently, speculation suggested that Bhooth Bangla may have once been conceived as a sequel to Bhool Bhulaiyaa (directed by him and starring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan), but the filmmaker dismisses that outright. “This is not true because neither I nor the producer (Bhushan Kumar) discussed a second part,” he says.

Priyadarshan also spoke warmly about directing Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Paresh Rawal in his upcoming film, Haiwaan. “Akshay, of course, is someone I’ve known for years. But this is the first time I’m working with Saif. He is so committed to what he does, and I enjoyed working with him. He comes to the set with so many questions, always wanting to understand every detail. So we’ve developed a great equation — I answer, and he keeps asking,” he laughs.

On the long-running string of controversies surrounding Hera Pheri 3, Priyadarshan says the project is entangled in disputes over franchise and music rights. The third instalment recently ran into fresh legal trouble after producer G P Vijayakumar approached the Madras High Court, claiming that he – and not Firoz Nadiadwala – holds the copyright to the franchise.

“There are a lot of complications around that. Even when part three was announced, certain people said they have the rights to the film, while others claimed rights to the music. Even Bhushan (Kumar) published a public notice stating that the music of part three belongs to his label. So there are many complications that need to be sorted out. Only then can we think about part three,” he says. So will the film go on floors this year? “Definitely not this year,” he says.

Many months ago, Priyadarshan had also spoken about his disappointment when Paresh Rawal decided to walk out of Hera Pheri 3 without informing him. After the friction surrounding Rawal’s initial departure was smoothed over, he returned to the project.

Addressing the current state of their relationship, the filmmaker said, “We have nothing against each other. I’ve been working with him for a long time. In the film industry, if you share a good relationship with someone, it endures. I’ve also seen people fall out and then work together again. I don’t think there are permanent enemies in politics or cinema.”

While he remains uncertain about Hera Pheri 3, one of his other films, Bhagam Bhag, is getting a sequel. Priyadarshan has consistently expressed his disinterest in sequels, viewing them as attempts to extend the goodwill of the original.

“I’m never interested in making sequels because I feel that once the first film ends, the next one often tries to capitalize on its goodwill. None of my films have been made into sequels by me. If others want to make sequels, I have no objection. But I always believe the first is the best,” he says.

Revealing that he was offered to direct the sequel to Bhagam Bhag, the filmmaker says “They asked me to direct it, but I said no because I wasn’t interested... When discussions about the sequel began, Akshay informed me that he was doing the film. I told him, ‘Go ahead and do it. I have no problem with that.’”

The film will reportedly see Manoj Bajpayee replacing Govinda. On this development, he says, “I have no idea what they are doing or what the subject is.”

What excites him, however, is his next project with Pankaj Tripathi. While he remains guarded about the details, he confirms that it is a full-fledged comedy. “I don’t want to reveal much about it. It’s a film starting in June and is an out-and-out comedy,” he says.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and producer Bhushan Kumar have come together to make a film on India’s strategic military campaign Operation Sindoor, conducted in May last year. The film will explore India’s strike back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April of the same year.

A source close to the production confirms to us, “Yes, Bhushan Kumar and Vivek have come together to make this film on Operation Sindoor. It is in a very initial stage and they are currently in the process of finalising the cast, locations, etc.”

The source adds that the project is in its nascent phase, with work beginning this year itself: “The film will definitely go on floors this year, but since it is in the initial stages, it is tough to give the exact plan of release.”

We reached out to Vivek and Bhushan for a comment or clarification on the development, but did not get any response till the time of going to press

Until mid-January, director Milap Zaveri and producer Bhushan Kumar were going full throttle on their next, an intense action drama with Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal. But things have a way of changing overnight in the film industry. Now, it is heard that Zaveri and the T-Series head honcho will start another project, which will see the director reuniting with his Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat (2025) actor Harshvardhan Rane.

mid-day has learnt that Anil Kapoor is in talks to play a pivotal role in the yet-untitled movie that is expected to roll this month.

A trade source revealed, “The makers are in the final stage of discussion with Anil. Milap will direct the actor for the first time.” What of the Shroff and Jammwal-starrer then? Apparently, the actors had started training for the actioner.

The source indicated that creative differences led to the film being put on the backburner. “Milap chose to do Harshvardhan’s movie over the other as too many creative differences were creeping in. It can happen when you cast two action heroes, but they shouldn’t interfere in the script. That said, it was an amicable parting. There was also a date clash as the makers wanted to begin the Harshvardhan movie in February, and no way would the Vidyut-Tiger film be complete by then.”

The year couldn’t have begun on a more celebratory note for Mithoon. January reverberated with the sounds of his songs from Border 2. People around him might have a different opinion on recreations, but as the composer-singer sits for a chat with mid-day, he is only filled with love and pride about revisiting the classic tracks of Border (1997) for the sequel. Excerpts from the interview.

Bhushan Kumar [producer], Anurag Singh, and Nidhi Dutta [writer and producer] said they were planning a sequel to Border. Some things are non-negotiable. For example, everybody in the room knew that Border 2 would be incomplete without a couple of elements — one is Sunny [Deol] sir. The second is its iconic songs like Sandese Aate Hain and Toh Chaloon. Everyone felt I should be given the task of recreating them. But I was clear from day one that I wanted Anu Malik ji’s approval because those two songs are owned by him, and Javed [Akhtar] saab, who has written them. Anu ji agreed. That set the ball rolling.

I don’t relate to pressure. Whether it’s an original song or a recreation, I don’t feel pressure because if you let it get to you, the battle is lost there itself. These are songs that people still relate to. In fact, there could be a Border 3, 4 or more [instalments], these songs will always be a part of its ethos.

Javed saab is entitled to his opinion. But there are new characters in this movie, and they needed a fresh perspective. That is where the director and all of us felt the necessity to add a couple of new antras to the track. Again, it was in sync with the song.

 

I do. I recreated Udd Jaa Kaale Kaava and Main Nikla in Gadar 2 [2023]. It’s what the story demands, and certain songs are etched into certain stories forever.

There’s been a lot of buzz around the next instalment of the horror comedy franchise, Bhool Bhulaiyaa (BB). Recently, director Anees Bazmee expressed excitement about working on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 4, after the massive success of the previous film which had released a year ago.

When we reached out to Bazmee, he said, “The work on the story has not begun, but since we made BB2 and BB3, we must make BB4. Talks are on, but nothing concrete has happened yet. Kartik Aaryan as Rooh Baba has created a strong image. Toh Kartik toh hona hi chahiye.”

When asked if there’s a possibility of bringing together both the Bhool Bhulaiyaa leads — Akshay Kumar (who helmed the original) and Kartik — for the next installment, Bazmee said, “This is a fantastic idea. Beech mein Bhushan Kumar (producer) aur meri baat hui thi and we discussed if we could make it happen. Akshay in that orange attire and Kartik in that black one pitted against each other would be really good,” he revealed.

The Bhool Bhulaiyaa series, known for its perfect blend of laughter and spine-chilling moments, first began in 2007 with Priyadarshan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa, starring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan. The film became a cult favourite for its psychological twist and memorable performances, especially Vidya’s turn as Manjulika and Akshay’s iconic role as Dr. Aditya Shrivastav.

Years later, the franchise was revived with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), directed by Anees Bazmee and headlined by Kartik Aaryan as Rooh Baba. The film proved to be a blockbuster, blending fresh humour with nostalgic elements from the original. The success of BB2 cemented Kartik’s image as the new-age Rooh Baba and revitalized the horror-comedy genre in Bollywood. Following that, Bazmee and producer Bhushan Kumar did BB 3 in 2024, with Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit as leads.

Finally, Kartik Aaryan’s romantic drama with filmmaker Anurag Basu has found its title. mid-day has learnt that the romantic musical has been christened Tu Meri Zindagi Hai, taking inspiration from the Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudwal song in Aashiqui (1990). Sources, however, reveal that the makers chose this as it distances the project enough from the Aashiqui franchise.

Many may remember that the film, also starring Sreeleela, was originally envisioned as the third instalment in the Aashiqui franchise. However, producers Mukesh Bhatt and Bhushan Kumar parted ways, and the latter decided to make the Aaryan-Basu collaboration as a standalone film.

“When choosing the title, it was a pre-emptive move by the makers to avoid making a direct reference to Aashiqui. The team wanted a name that evoked nostalgia, but didn’t risk legal or creative complications. Tu Meri Zindagi Hai felt like the perfect fit,” says a source.

The movie is being positioned as a big-ticket summer romance, with the team aiming for a May 1 release.

The source adds, “It’s a classic love story with Basu’s signature treatment of the genre. With the release more than six months away, it gives the team time to weave in some additional tracks. The latest schedule is underway in Mumbai and the film will be shot till 2025-end, with patch work spilling on to early 2026.”

For most filmmakers, the dream once was to direct a film. Then, it became about delivering a box-office hit. Now, it’s all about crafting a pan-India film. After the success of ‘Amaran’ (2024), led by Sivakarthikeyan and Bollywood-bound Sai Pallavi, director Rajkumar Periasamy is in the news for his next. Even before his film with Dhanush, ‘D55’, hits the screens, trade insiders claim the director is developing a pan-India project featuring Kartik Aaryan and Akshaye Khanna. Rumour mills also suggest that Vicky Kaushal was in contention for the lead role.

Backed by T-Series’s Bhushan Kumar, this yet-untitled film will mark Periasamy’s foray into mainstream Hindi cinema. If all goes as planned, the film will go on floors next year in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada — starring actors from various industries.

An insider shares, “The scale and the emotional complexity of the role is a steal for any young star. So, talks with Kartik have begun. Akshaye’s name came up for the morally grey parallel lead. In fact, Rajkumar has been hoping to work with Akshaye for a long time. [Right now] Akshaye is shooting the final leg of Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’, and having wrapped up his rom-com with Ananya Panday, Kartik will go back to the set of Anurag Basu’s musical — slotted to release in the summer of 2026. He will then allot his dates for the Rajkumar film.”

A day after Diljit Dosanjh shut down rumours of his exit from Border 2 by posting a BTS video from the film’s set, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) officially lifted its ban on him, clearing the way for him to resume work on the project. The ban was imposed following backlash over the release of Sardaar Ji 3 that features Pakistani artiste Hania Aamir. However, the truce appears temporary.

The decision was taken after Border 2 producer Bhushan Kumar told the federation that 80% of the scenes with Diljit had already been shot, and that he would not work with Dosanjh in the future. In a written statement submitted to FWICE, Bhushan Kumar reportedly said he would “never cast Diljit Dosanjh in future films.”

FWICE president Birendra Nath Tiwari was quoted as saying that the decision to lift the ban came after two meetings with Kumar, who explained that the film was already 80-85% complete. “They’ve already shot Diljit’s portions, and only a song remains,” Tiwari said.

“At this stage, he can’t replace him, but Bhushan Kumar assured us he won’t work with anyone who is in the middle of a dispute again.” The federation, however, made clear that the exemption applies only to the current project.

In a recent post on X, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma took on the makers of the Ram Charan-starrer Game Changer for allegedly showcasing inflated box office numbers. Varma’s post revived the debate around filmmakers overstating a film’s earnings to create the impression of success and positive word-of-mouth reviews.

With Game Changer, however, it is clear that this issue isn’t just prevalent in Bollywood, but in southern cinema as well. Despite it being a long-standing practice, it seems to benefit no one in the long run. We ask trade experts if there is an endgame to misleading audiences.

Game Changer producers reported that the film earned Rs. 186 crore on release day, January 10. If true, this would make the film the fourth-best opening for an Indian film ever, behind Pushpa 2,Baahubali 2, and RRR.

However, as per trade sources, the film opened under Rs. 100 crore worldwide; in fact, data portal Sacnilk reported a collection of only Rs. 80 crore. A source from within the Telugu film industry tells us, “Generally, [film teams] do this within a margin of 10-15%. but what Game Changer did is way beyond 70-80%.” The insider adds, “It is usually done to satisfy the fans or a hero’s ego.”

Distributor Sanjay Ghai explains that filmmakers often use terms such as gross or net value in their marketing to confuse audiences who might not understand the distinction. “Public ko yeh sab samajh nahin aata. Unko ko bas itna samajh aata hai ki film Rs. 500 crore cross kar gayi.”

While Ghai clarifies that distributors have no say in the numbers, he continues, “South aur north dono jagah halat kharab hai par janta sab janti hai sach kya hai.”

Notably, films in the past year such as Jigra and Kalki 2898 AD, among others also faced scrutiny for allegedly inflating box office figures. But why is this done?

Trade analyst Atul Mohan says that the motive is primarily to shape public perception: “Yeh sab perception build karne ke liye kiya jata hai.” Pointing out that accurate first-day collection reports are typically only made available the following afternoon, he shares, “The numbers that [makers] project in the first three days is all marketing; it is done to make people curious.”

Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Director: “Marketing today is full of lies. Influencers are paid to promote fake narratives. When theatres are empty, producers buy their own tickets and spread false box office numbers. I’m being honest—my film released yesterday, and very few people showed up. No one else will admit their film didn’t have a good opening.”

Bhushan Kumar, Filmmaker: “I can’t speak for others, but I don’t believe in this; it’s made-up. Maybe [numbers are increasing] through corporate bookings. That doesn’t mean people are buying tickets since the halls are empty.“

Anil Sharma, Director: Film agar achchi hai toh number badhao, ghatao koi farak nahin padhta. Ab time ho gaya hai branding ka, sabko brand banana hai. Kuch saal baad sirf poster reh jaate hain branding waale. But this doesn’t help the industry or actors.actors.

Karan Johar, Filmmaker: During an interview in October, the filmmaker confirmed that inflating numbers was a long-standing practice in Bollywood. “Yes, numbers are fudged, true,” he had said.

Atul Mohan, Analyst: I think this began with Ghajini (2008), when the Rs. 100 crore clubs started. Everyone wanted to brand themselves as champs. Now it’s at a point where before the first day is over, posters claim that a film is ‘close to Rs. 25 crore’ and so forth.

Kartik Aaryan, Actor: On Thursday the actor said, “Some people [inflate the numbers], and some don’t. It has reached a level where the lines are so blurred that you have to guess how much a film has actually earned. Audiences are smart... they use their own judgment rather than relying on numbers. Eventually, I think films find their [own] space.”

Producer Bhushan Kumar has revealed new details surrounding the biopic on his late father, producer Gulshan Kumar.

Earlier this month, Bhushan had shared that actor Aamir Khan would be a part of the project. However, this has not yet been officially announced.

Now, the producer has said that the biopic was facing delays because his mother, Sudesh Kumari, had some reservations about his current script.

“We are writing [the biopic]. We had written a script earlier, it was superb. We hadn’t officially announced, the actor but everybody knew Aamir sir was doing it,” Bhushan told Connect Cine.

He added that Khan was still keen on the project, despite the recent delays. “He always tells me, ‘It’s the best script I’ve ever read in recent times, jo mujhe karni hi karni hai’. There are some family reservations about that, especially my mother. She wants to do it from one perspective and we had written the script from another.”

“Obviously, I can’t make a film about my father if my mother isn’t convinced about it. Once she is convinced, which she eventually will be, the world will get to witness a very inspiring story,” he ended.

Success teaches you many things. It looks like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s recent success has taught Kartik Aaryan that leading a franchise is a smart tactic to connect with the audience, a lesson he is applying to his next. mid-day has learnt that the actor is keen that his romantic drama—which was initially planned as Aashiqui 3, but then reimagined as a stand-alone film—be restored under the Aashiqui franchise.

A lot has happened on the Aashiqui front since the third instalment was announced in 2022. At the time, Anurag Basu was to direct the Aaryan-led love story, with Bhushan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt producing it. However, a tussle began between the producers over the franchise’s rights. Finally, this March, the T-Series head honcho announced that he alone was backing the Aaryan-Basu project, which was rechristened Tu Aashiqui Hai and was no longer a part of the Aashiqui franchise.

Now, Aaryan has apparently introduced a plot twist. A source reveals, “The success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3 has confirmed Kartik’s belief in the power of franchises. He has suggested to Bhushan that he initiate talks with Mukesh Bhatt to acquire the title. Kartik is certain that building the love story under the Aashiqui franchise will give it a push.”

In 1990, Aashiqui made Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal overnight stars. Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor recreated the magic with Aashiqui 2 (2013), produced by T-Series and Bhatt’s Vishesh Films. Now, with Aaryan eager to lead the franchise, the source says that Kumar is figuring out the right way to take the matter forward with Bhatt. It’s one of the reasons the shoot of the movie, also starring Triptii Dimri, has been pushed to next year.

“Anurag is anyway busy with the re-shoot of Metro… In Dino. With this new development, the project will only roll sometime next year. Kartik wants clarity on all aspects before he faces the camera,” says the insider.

Franchises have been money-spinners this year, be it Stree 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 or Singham Again. Almost every star has a franchise film in their line-up—from Shah Rukh Khan having Pathaan 2 to Ranbir Kapoor greenlighting Animal Park. It only makes sense for Aaryan to join the bandwagon. 

Another source notes, “He will soon begin shooting Pati Patni Aur Woh 2. He is also keen to have a sequel to Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety [2018].”

The war between the two Diwali releases, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, had been heating up over the past few weeks. It took a bitter turn on Saturday when the makers of Ajay Devgn’s cop actioner released the title track on YouTube and other social media platforms. Soon, T-Series, which has produced Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, issued a copyright strike as the song infused some elements from the original Singham (2011) theme, the rights of which rest with the music label.

As a result, director Rohit Shetty and his team had to pull down the title track from all platforms, rework the composition and have it uploaded again on Tuesday afternoon.

A source reveals, “The song included a 10-second element from the theme of the original Singham. As is customary, T-Series flagged off the content because using anything above three seconds [without owning the copyright] is non-permissible. Bhushan Kumar’s company issued a copyright claim, and the song had to be pulled down. A simpler way to do this would have been to reach out to Singham Again’s team and sort out the matter. Saregama, which is the cop fare’s music partner, uploaded the track on Tuesday after composer Ravi Basrur removed the contentious bits and stitched it together.”

This dispute is being viewed as a “clash effect” by the internet. Fans and industry observers feel that T-Series’ decision to enforce its copyright claim could be strategically influenced by the upcoming clash between Kartik Aaryan’s horror comedy and the Devgn-starrer.

Another source notes, “Since the Singham Again team had to upload the track again, it lost all the original viewership and likes on YouTube.”

Back in 2022, when Anees Bazmee helmed the horror comedy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, little did he know that he would be taking the franchise ahead instantly after its release. The film’s success led to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which releases this Friday. The filmmaker says that the movie is packed with an exciting storyline, Kartik Aaryan’s exuberant performance and ghostly acts by two Manjulikas, played by Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit.

Talking about the film, Anees tells us, “Bhushan Kumar (producer) was very confident even before part 2 was released and he told me that we should begin working on part 3. Kartik Aaryan, too, was looking forward to the sequel. I was excited with the idea, but I wanted to crack the perfect plot for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. I am not the kind who simply jumps onto the bandwagon…ek film achchi bani toh chalo dusri banate hai to capitalize on the film’s title. I am a writer first and then a director, so that one line story is very important for me. In the final story, I could see scope for a lot of drama, emotions and comedy and I could visualize shooting it on a larger-than-life scale.”

Ask Anees if he feels the pressure of taking a successful franchise ahead and he says, “When I made Welcome, I had that pressure because I had a successful film like No Entry behind me. Then when I made Singh Is Kinng, I had the pressure of Welcome behind me. Toh yeh silsila toh chalte rehta hai because people expect something from you. Forget people, even I have expectations from myself. Mujhe ek darr rehta hai ke maine itni saari achchi filmein banayi hai, kya yeh film bhi achchi bana paunga? However, once the film rolls and after the first day on set, I forget about the pressure."

Anees, who has been working in this industry for four decades, doesn’t believe in resting on his past laurels. He explains, “I have always believed that there’s no shortcut to anything. I have always believed in learning new things. In showbiz, I have worked in all kinds of departments, be it camera, sound, editing or the art department, yet, I feel like a newcomer, and feel the need to grasp more. New entrants in the industry get inspired by me and I get inspired by them. Maine hameesha mere tareeke ko ahmiyat di hai. If you feel ki iss tareeke se I can convey my message in a film better, then I stick to that. Every filmmaker has their own style. I don’t believe in following a pattern, I believe in working in that moment.”

Talking about staying relevant, the director says that he would like to direct a web show at some point. “Not because it’s a trend now, but because I want to explore this new format of storytelling. I am waiting for an idea jo main larger-than-life style mein shoot kar saku. If OTT hadn’t been there I couldn’t have sailed through the pandemic. Watching movies is my hobby. I want to experiment with everything related to filmmaking. So, my web show will be my kind of cinema. There will be grandeur, entertainment, and it will be packed with stars.”

With Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Anees is getting the original Manjulika, Vidya Balan, back into the franchise. Any plans to get Akshay Kumar back to it too? “Maybe in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 4 (laughs).”

Talking about his urge to work with Akshay, Anees adds, “He is my friend. Maine mere zindagi ki sabse behtareen filmein Akshay ke saath banayi hai (Welcome, Singh Is Kinng). We have a great tuning. Meri icchaa hai ki main unke saath phir se kaam karu, and I think the feeling is mutual.”

Addressing the box office clash with another successful franchise, Singham, Anees says, “I am sure both the production houses might have tried their best to avert the clash. But then, due to circumstances, I believe that it wasn’t possible. Agar dono films chali toh Diwali mein double maza aayega.”

Rajkummar Rao and Triptii Dimri’s Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video (VVKWWV) revolves around the chaos that ensues when a married couple’s intimate video goes missing. For now though, there is enough chaos surrounding Raaj Shaandilyaa’s directorial venture. A fortnight ago, producer Sanjay Tiwari and writer Gul Bano Khan claimed that the film is plagiarized from their script, Sex Hai Toh Life Hai. The duo sent a legal notice to VVKWWV’s makers—including producers Bhushan Kumar and Ektaa R Kapoor—stating that Tiwari and Gul, in 2015, had penned an original storyline around the same premise and registered it with the Screen Writers Association (SWA).  

Not only that, on October 1, Tiwari held a press conference, where he stated, “The idea is the most crucial element. Once it’s there, you can spin a script or screenplay around it, but copying the original idea without permission is a serious issue. I hope Raaj investigates his team. I’m certain we have plenty of common people.”

When mid-day reached out to director Shaandilyaa, who has also written the screenplay along with Yusuf Khan, he said that the film’s team is seeking legal recourse.

He said, “We’re sending a legal notice [in response] to their allegations, and what they spoke at the press conference. These allegations are not true at all. We have not stolen anybody’s concept. The core idea of Baahubali is a son taking revenge for his father’s death. Tomorrow, Baahubali’s makers cannot complain that other [filmmakers] have stolen their concept.”

The comedy, set in the 1990s, sees Rao and Dimri as a newly married couple whose lives turn topsy-turvy as they try to retrieve the missing video. Shaandilyaa asserts that there is no question of the team lifting the idea from Sex Hai Toh Life Hai, as the upcoming film has its roots in multiple real-life incidents.

He further explained, “Ours is a fictional story, inspired by various news articles about similar incidents that happened between 1994 and 2000. Our film has been inspired by that—about a husband and wife, who make an intimate video and the impact it has when it gets stolen. We have written an entirely different script inspired by the [news]. There are so many real-life stories like this. How can someone claim that it is their story?”

mid-day reached out to VVKWWV’s producers Kumar and Vipul D Shah, who refused to comment.