All eyes are on Dil Raju’s upcoming production that is rumoured to star Salman Khan. Even as reports suggest that the yet-untitled film may see Khan sharing screen space with Nayanthara for the first time, we might see the superstar in another fresh pairing, courtesy filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, better known as Raj-DK.

Last week, mid-day reported that the actor is in early discussions with Raj-DK for a superhero film (A retiring superhero, March 6). Now, sources have revealed that Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who featured in the filmmaker duo’s second season of ‘The Family Man’, is the frontrunner for the movie.

“Samantha is very much in the conversation. She shares a strong creative equation with the makers, and they feel she fits the part,” said the source. The producers are aiming to take the project on floors by August. 

Before facing the camera with Prabhu, Khan will kick off Raju’s production that is being helmed by Telugu film director Vamshi Paidipally. Another source shared, “Nayanthara has emerged as the frontrunner for the female lead, though talks are ongoing. It will be a pan-India action entertainer, and should roll by April.”

When The Family Man premiered in 2019, it changed things for Priya Mani Raj. The National Award-winning actress, already a familiar name in South Indian cinema, found herself connecting with a whole new audience across India.

“Definitely, 200%,” she laughs when asked how much of a gamechanger it was. “I’m so happy, so fortunate that I got to be part of such a wonderful series,” says Priya Mani, who will soon be seen in season 3 of the web series featuring Manoj Bajpayee and created by Raj & DK.

In an industry where auditions were the norm, the opportunity to work on the show came to Priya Mani in the most unexpected manner. “It all began when Mukesh Chhabra (casting director) called me and said there’s a project he wanted to talk about,” she recalls.

“The next day, I met Raj and DK and they narrated the story to me for about half an hour. At that point, I wasn’t even sure if I was part of it. That’s because in Mumbai, the norm is that you have to audition and I was ready for that. After the narration, my husband said, ‘You idiot, they’ve spent 45 minutes explaining the whole thing to you — that means you’re doing it!’” she laughs. “And that’s how it happened.”

Talking about the audition process, Priya Mani points out that this culture didn’t exist in the South earlier. “Of late, they’ve started auditions, but not to the level of what happens here,” she explains. “Casting directors and agencies are just coming into the picture now. Until about five years ago, I don’t think there was anything like that in the South.”

She sees it as a positive change. “There’s nothing wrong in auditioning and proving your mettle. Sometimes people might know of you but not really know what you can do. It’s just showing them, ‘Look, I can also do this.’ There’s absolutely nothing wrong in that,” the actress adds.

Despite her long career, though, Priya Mani reveals that she has barely auditioned. “I have never really been called for any auditions. I went for an audition once for a John Abraham film, but I don’t know what happened to that. Maybe it didn’t work out and that’s okay. It’s a part and parcel of life. You can’t expect everything to click. I was just glad I went and gave it a shot.”

Fielding multiple offers and shooting for back-to-back projects can be gratifying. But it also can be exhausting. Ask Manoj Bajpayee, who has worked at a break-neck pace all through 2025, shooting for The Family Man 3, Police Station Mein Bhoot, Inspector Zende, and a yet-untitled film with Divya Dutta. Now that his last offering of the year, The Family Man 3, is ready for release, the actor is looking forward to taking a well-deserved break.

A three-month break, Bajpayee told us, as we got on a call when he was returning from a long day of shoot. “I have completed almost all my shoots, and now I will start promoting The Family Man. After that, I have taken three-four months off work as I was working round-the-clock. I completed four-five projects in the past one year. I don’t like to be this busy, but I never complain. Since the past three years, good work has been [coming my way], so why let it go? My funda is to keep on working as long as there is good work,” he said.

Even as he terms it a break, Bajpayee can’t really stay away from films for too long. The actor admitted, “During the break, I will read scripts, take meetings, and wrap up other professional commitments.”

But for now, it’s all about The Family Man 3. The Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK-created series has given the actor arguably one of his most popular characters — the sharp but unassuming intelligence officer Srikant Tiwari. Anticipation is already building around the spy thriller’s third edition that also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Nimrat Kaur, alongside series regulars Sharib Hashmi and Priyamani.

What can we expect this time around? “While the first and second seasons were intense, this season has a lot of family sequences — interactions, conflicts, and organic humour stemming from their lives. It’s grittier, far more thrilling, and humorous,” he said.

Characters’ evolution is a given in long-format storytelling. Will the audience see some changes in Srikant Tiwari? He reflected, “Characters mature in creative works of art, and you can expect that from directors like Raj-DK and an actor like me. They are so good at storytelling and digging into every character’s nuances.”

In February, mid-day had reported that Rakt Bramhand’s shoot had hit a roadblock, with creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK hitting pause on one of its schedules (Hold the bugle call, Feb 15). Since then, there has been ambiguity about the Netflix series’ status, with rumours suggesting it has been delayed, and shelved even. As we recently caught up with Ali Fazal, who plays one of the leads alongside Aditya Roy Kapur and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, we asked him what’s happening on the series.

“I honestly don’t know what’s happening on that one. I wish I knew,” he said.

All eyes have been on Rakt Bramhand since it rolled in August 2024 as it is among the most ambitious Indian originals from the streaming giant. Directed by Rahi Anil Barve, the fantasy drama reportedly revolves around warring kingdoms.

Fazal added, “I know the show was on hold. Adi [Aditya] and I were doing it together. We met now again during Metro...In Dino’s promotions. It has been a couple of months since I last shot for it. Then I had to cut my hair because I had to shoot for something else.”

Fazal is currently filming his next series, titled Ranga Billa, co-starring Sonali Bendre.

Four successful web series in six years is an impressive track record. Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, better known as Raj-DK, have been among the busiest creators in the Hindi entertainment industry since the OTT boom, churning out The Family Man, Farzi (2023), Guns & Gulaabs (2023) and Citadel: Honey Bunny (2024). Now, mid-day has learnt that even as the second season of Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi’s Farzi will go on floors by 2025-end, the filmmaker duo will simultaneously develop their theatrical slate as they are eager to return to the big screen after a seven-year break.

Raj-DK have their plate full in 2025 with their web offerings. A source breaks down their calendar, saying, “They are neck-deep in three series at the moment — preparing for Farzi 2’s shoot, and juggling Rakt Bramhand and the post-production of The Family Man 3. While work on these three shows is progressing briskly, they have also begun shaping up their theatrical slate. After wrapping up the Shahid and Vijay-led crime thriller by mid-2026, Raj-DK intend to take their first theatrical venture in seven years on floors.” Their last big-screen outing was the breakout horror comedy Stree (2018), on which they served as writers and producers.

Their big-screen history has been something of a hit-and-miss. While their filmography includes much-loved and ingenious movies like Go Goa Gone (2013) and Stree, they have also delivered underwhelming outings in Happy Ending (2014) and A Gentleman (2017). For their next, the filmmakers have apparently zeroed in on two scripts.

An insider reveals, “They will helm one, while the other will have another director. Raj-DK have regularly roped in different voices —  be it Stree that launched Amar Kaushik as a director, or Suparn Varma who took charge of certain episodes in The Family Man 2. Their Telugu production, Cinema Bandi [2021], too kickstarted Praveen Kandregula’s directorial career. If things go as planned, one of the movies will roll in the second half of 2026.”

The insider adds that Raj-DK’s focus on theatrical ventures does not imply that they will hit the brakes on their streaming work.

Filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK raised eyebrows after a series of cryptic post on their joint X account on Wednesday afternoon.

The creators of shows such as The Family Man and Farzi, among others, wrote that they were “putting their heads down” after being “thrown under the bus” but did not specify what they were referring to. However, Raj and DK’s post comes a day after a Bollywood Hungama report claimed that streaming platform Prime Video was shelving their new show, Gulkanda Tales after their next film, Rakt Brahmand was beset by financial difficulties.

According to Peeping Moon, a Rakt Bramhand executive producer is facing accusations of financial theft on set, after an undisclosed amount (thought to be approximately Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 3 crore) was allegedly stolen from the production.

Raj and DK shared several pictures of them on various sets, accompanied by a long note. They wrote, “Every now and then something happens to shake things up. And you have a choice on how to react. For us that choice of reaction has always been clear — to just put our heads down and continue doing what we have been doing. Work harder. Do better. It is also a reminder to take stock of where we are at (sic).”

The duo also seemed to take a dig at unknown individuals. “S**t will keep happening… someone will steal, someone will throw you under the bus… To break new ground and keep coming to you with new, original stories. That’s been the promise,” they said.

The note ended with the duo addressing cancellation rumours: “Next up: Rakt Brahmand on Netflix; and Gulkanda Tales and The Family Man 3 on Prime.”

On Tuesday, Bollywood Hungama reported that Amazon Prime Video had shelved Gulkanda Tales, the duo’s ambitious upcoming show. Peeping Moon had reported separately that the executive producer of their other show - Rakt Brahmand - is now facing accusations of financial theft on set, with an undisclosed amount ranging from Rs. 2–3 crore allegedly stolen from the production.

Last week, news emerged that Ali Fazal and director Prosit Roy are set to team up for an action thriller series for Prime Video. Now, mid-day has learnt that the series will go on floors as early as April. Reason? Fazal’s date diary has opened up after the shoot of his other project, Raj-DK’s Rakt Bramhand, has been put on hold. So, the actor and Roy will hit the accelerator on their modern-day crime story, kicking off the shoot in Delhi in April.

Last week, news emerged that Ali Fazal and director Prosit Roy are set to team up for an action thriller series for Prime Video. Now, mid-day has learnt that the series will go on floors as early as April. Reason? Fazal’s date diary has opened up after the shoot of his other project, Raj-DK’s Rakt Bramhand, has been put on hold. So, the actor and Roy will hit the accelerator on their modern-day crime story, kicking off the shoot in Delhi in April.

Also starring Sonali Bendre, the series will be filmed in Delhi, followed by a stint in Mumbai. Fazal is expected to start his prep this week.

The source adds, “Since it’s based on real-life events, the team is finalising real locations across Delhi. Prosit, who previously co-directed the first season of Paatal Lok, wants to keep the visuals raw and immersive. The series will also see Ali perform elaborate action sequences. After the Delhi schedule wraps up by May, the unit will move to Mumbai, where the climax will be filmed. The second leg may overlap with Rakt Bramhand, but Ali will juggle the two projects.”

Director duo Raj-DK’s ambitious fantasy actioner Rakt Bramhand—The Bloody Kingdom has apparently hit a roadblock, forcing the makers to delay its upcoming schedule. Word is that Raj-DK, along with co-director Rahi Anil Barve, were to kick off the second schedule in Mumbai in February. However, the plan has been pushed by two months as the battle sequences of the Aditya Roy Kapur, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Ali Fazal and Wamiqa Gabbi-starrer are being reimagined.

A source close to the production reveals, “Rakt Bramhand has been mounted as a big-budget fantasy series about warring empires. Naturally, the war sequences are crucial to the story. The team wasn’t fully satisfied with how they were shaping up on paper, and is revisiting the portions.”

Rakt Bramhand is among Netflix India’s most ambitious projects. However, given the two-month delay, it was pulled down from the streamer’s 2025 slate that was recently unveiled. Another source says that the show will no longer be a 2025 offering.

“It is being designed as a spectacle, and that takes time. With the latest leg starting in April, followed by extensive VFX work in post-production, the series will release only in 2026,” adds the source.

mid-day reached out to Barve, who didn’t respond till press time.

HT City was the first to report in May last year that actor Aditya Roy Kapur is teaming up with filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK for his next OTT outing. Now, we have official confirmation of the collaboration from all three!

Titled Rakt Brahmand - The Bloody Kingdom, the project is an action-fantasy series set in a fantastical kingdom. It is directed by Rahi Anil Barve, known for helming Tumbbad (2018).

Talking about their leading man, Raj and DK say, “At the heart of Rakt Brahmand is a character that demands strength, intensity, and a bit of wackiness. Aditya brings all of that. And he’s been training very hard to meet the demands... Our goal is to create a world that is both original and evokes the fantastical tales we grew up hearing.”

To prep for the role, Aditya underwent three months of rigorous training in various physical art forms including sword fighting, weaponry, horse riding, archery, martial arts, and combat. The 39-year-old shares, “The prep has been intense, but one of the most enjoyable perks of being an actor is to be able to pick up new skills. This show has me doing that in spades. But even more important than the physical work, there is a huge amount of mental preparation which I’ve been relishing.”

The team recently wrapped up the first shoot schedule in Mumbai. The second leg of shoot for the Netflix series will begin soon, and the show will be shot through the year.

It has been two weeks since Citadel: Honey Bunny dropped online. While the Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu-led spy thriller has received mixed reviews, the audience largely agrees on one thing – that Saqib Saleem is impressive as the antagonist KD. “It’s a little overwhelming when you don’t think of something too much and then that starts giving you love,” starts the actor, when we sit across from him for a chat.

He continues, "This is like a proper massy binge show. Which is why we started watching OTT, right? I had the most fun with the action. The action. Because as young boys, we've all grown up wanting to be action heroes, right? So when you get to do cool stuff, you really feel cool when you come back to your vanity van after you've done a scene. You feel exhausted, of course. But also just feeling like, ‘oh, I've done something awesome’. That child in you gets very happy.”

To him, joining the Prime Video series was a no-brainer as it gave him the opportunity to team up with director duo Raj-DK, who also co-wrote it with Sita Menon.

“What I really enjoyed about them is that they're very collaborative people. They give actors the respect that, hey, we've cast you for a part. You exactly know what you're supposed to do. We've cast you because you're good. And they're not one of those directors who tell you how you should act. They just set the scene for you well. And whenever you give some feedback to them, they're not very reactive people. So when you give them feedback, it may just feel like, did I say the right thing or did I make sense at all? But when the material comes back to you, you see traces of your discussion. This is why they are people who've done so much quality work. It's very heartening to see that even after having such success, you're so collaborative and wanting to hear what the other person has to say. We were an eclectic bunch. Kay Kay Menon is a masterclass. You will read a line on script and you're like, okay, we'll do it like this. But he just finds this new, organic way to do it. And he would surprise you so much with his performance. Both me and Varun, in fact, we used to just keep looking at him. He is so much in sync with himself and his craft. The beauty of Varun is his excitement and the fact that he is still the same man. He still committed. He still wants to do one more take and do better. You enjoy when people really want to work. He feels like if you're taking one more shot, he could do better. And that attitude, I really love it. Because he's also had an interesting body of work behind him. And he's had his share of successes. But that thing hasn't diminished in him. That he really wants to give his best. Then we had Samantha. Who I've met for the first time she's a firecracker. I have so much love and respect for her. Because of course she was going through what she was otherwise. But at no point that became an excuse. It was like this big set is here to do this action piece and we'll pull it off. So I genuinely learned that about her and how to just keep going. I made good friends with Sikandar on this. To a point that I asked him to act in a film that I was producing. Everybody came in with that mindset: let's have fun, let’s do good.”

We quote to him a video that’s going viral of him and Kay Kay. “I get at least 10 tags a day on social media somewhere. But I'm very happy, yaar, this is what I hear, right? Ki agar memes banne lag jaye toh somewhere the shows hit home.”

Clearly, shooting the series was a creatively satisfying experience for Saleem. Yet, things took a different turn when it came to the show’s promotions. The actor was absent from all the events, beginning with the trailer launch to pre-release promotions. It got the internet talking about the 2020 episode when Disney+ Hotstar announced its seven-film slate, but did not invite two of the films’ leading heroes Kunal Kemmu and Vidyut Jammwal for the virtual event. At the time, the two actors had spoken about the lack of level-playing field in the industry. Evidently, things haven’t improved despite the discourse.

Saleem explains, “If you talk about my absence from the trailer launch to the premiere, I'm a very simple guy. So when you see the trailer you see that, of course, there's a certain narrative that these guys - the makers and the creators want to take. And they feel like it's in the betterment of the show. When I saw the trailer, I'm like, okay, this is the narrative you want to take. I would like to clarify it's not like I wasn't invited for the trailer launch. I decided, okay, I'll only talk when you show the impact of my character. I can only talk there. I love myself and respect myself. And I've worked really hard to be in the position that I am. So I really respect that position. So it's okay if there's a narrative you want to follow. I don't want to come walk in there and be detrimental to that narrative. I want the show to fare well. I also don't want people to ask me, what are you doing in this? So I'm like, okay, whenever the show's out, it's better to talk then. So there's no grouse or bad blood or animosity or anything of that sort. Yeah, they took a narrative that they wanted to take. And whether I agree or don't agree, it doesn't matter because the team wanted to take it. I thought, okay, let's wait this one out. I'm very sure of what the impact of my part is. Let the show come out. And today, the show's release has been two weeks and I have been on calls since 8.30 am. Usually people disappear after the release happens, right? So I just thought, okay, let's try this route. Do I blame the world for it or I crib about it and say, oh, how unfair? Not really. I don't take things like that. I've moved on. I'm starting to do my next now. I don't try and be like, oh, the industry's such a bad place. It's unfair for the outsiders. It's unfair for everybody."

We bring up the nature of the systemic disadvantage at play here. It’s widely believed that the industry has its cliques, and if you don’t belong to one of them, you get sidelined.

Saleem reflects, “It's the way things work. A lot of people think about me that he's just a lazy actor. He doesn't work a lot. But to get each opportunity, you have to work really hard. So when things don't go as per plan as you thought that they would go with this opportunity. Does it feel bad? 100%. But it's just, I feel like there are two ways to look at life. One is to keep crying about how wrong I was. Like, okay, this happened to me. I tried this and this happened. Let me prepare better or do something different so that this doesn't happen to me again. I'm okay faltering. It’s not my mistake, but being in a situation. But can I avoid this going forward? Because it's going to be difficult. It's going to be very difficult with what you want to do. You want the whole country to love you. That's what you're aiming for, right? To make that happen, you'll cross several of these speed breakers. For the sake of your mental health, you say - nothing is easy in the world and see the positive side of it and start thinking about what to do next. I feel like everybody knows what they've signed up for. With the advent of OTT at least more voices are coming to the fore. Before this, when I came to Bombay in 2011, there was - either you did TV or films. And films were only options for theatrical films. Now, as an actor who's come from the outside, he's getting a chance to show his work to people, if the industry is still not wanting to see it. Do such work that the common man is saying, it's good. And if the common man is saying it's good, then somehow that will translate for more work. That's the only way. I don't wish this journey on anyone. I came here when I was 20. Right now I'm 36. It's been 16 years since I have reached this place. It's a very difficult road. On some days you feel am I doing the right thing? Because how you see yourself, a lot of people here don't see you. People always want to try to undercut you. That is the line of work we're in. They are always figuring, if he had this much last Friday, then he's worth this much right now. After a point, talent doesn't do much. No matter how good you are, it is a numbers game. So you focus on doing your bit and hoping people find you."

And people have. The actor cites the example of director Sudhir Mishra, with whom he is collaborating on a series. “It was therapeutic to work with Sudhir Mishra. He knocks on some interesting doors inside of you as an actor. He takes you to places and gives you the confidence the industry erodes from you,” says Saleem.

He is also producing films under the banner that he has rolled out with his actor-sister Huma Qureshi. “We’ve put together a couple of films that should release next year. I’m also developing a film for myself.”

In June, mid-day had reported that Aditya Roy Kapur and Samantha Ruth Prabhu had been finalised for Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK’s next web series, and had begun their sword-fighting training (Play it again, Sam, June 28). Now, it’s time to put the hard work to the test. mid-day has learnt that the team recently took Rakt Bramhand on floors in a Borivali studio. The fantasy series will be helmed by Rahi Anil Barve of Tumbbad (2018) fame, with Raj-DK serving as creators.

That’s double duty for the creators, who are simultaneously filming the third season of The Family Man.

A source from the set revealed, “Rakt Bramhand is Raj-DK’s first action-fantasy series set in a fictitious kingdom. Even as they are shooting The Family Man, they are constantly supervising Rakt Bramhand’s progress. The sheer scale of the production is something they haven’t attempted before. We started shooting two weeks ago, and are currently canning some elaborate action sequences at Bahubali Studio in Borivali. There will be a short 10-day break soon, after which we will regroup in October. Most of the shoot will take place on this set and in other parts of the city till February 2025.”

Described as an epic tale of blood, betrayal and kingdoms, the Netflix series also stars Ali Fazal and Wamiqa Gabbi.

Popular web shows Farzi and The Family Man are both helmed by filmmakers Raj and DK. In the former’s maiden season last year, they teased a crossover between the Shahid Kapoor-led show and the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer. Now, actor Bhuvan Arora, who was seen in Farzi, almost confirms it.

Arora shares, “The shoot of The Family Man 3 is almost complete, and Raj and DK will move on to Rakht Brahmand soon. In Farzi, there was a crossover with (actor) Vijay Sethupathi sir’s character going to Tiwari’s (Bajpayee’s character) office. There will be a link between the two shows in The Family Man 3, too. But I can’t talk about it right now.”

Sharing an update on the second season of Farzi, he says, “Everyone is busy right now with their individual projects, including Raj and DK, Shahid and me. We are aiming to begin the shoot next year.”

Mention to Arora that the West churns out a new season for their shows every year while in India, there is a long gap between seasons, and he says, “That is also because both the industries function differently. Here, a new season is mostly sanctioned after the success of the previous one, whereas in the West, many studios immediately ask for three seasons upfront.”

Currently, he has three web shows in his kitty, besides his Tamil debut film. “I am excited to see myself speak Tamil on screen. I have dubbed for it,” he ends.

Is it a film? Is it a web series? That was the question Aditya Roy Kapur fans had over the past month, as word spread that the actor is teaming up with director duo Raj-DK. Now, we’ve got more updates on the front. It turns out the trio is joining forces on a web series, tentatively titled Rakhtabeej.

Sources say Samantha, who is fast becoming the director duo’s frequent collaborator after The Family Man 2 and the upcoming Citadel: Honey Bunny, has been roped in as the female lead of the  action drama.

We hear Kapur, who tasted success with his maiden web series The Night Manager last year, was in talks with Raj-DK over the past six months.

“It was only in May that he gave his nod to the project. Soon after, the makers brought Samantha on board. Since the show heavily relies on action, the two actors have begun their individual prep. They will do joint training sessions soon,” reveals a source.

The directors are currently busy with the shoot of the third edition of The Family Man. If things go as planned, they will call action on Rakhtabeej in August.

mid-day reached out to Raj Nidimoru, who did not respond till press time.

After a positive response to his OTT series debut, The Night Manager last year, actor Aditya Roy Kapur has signed his next. We have learnt that he is teaming up with director duo Raj and DK for a new project. This is the first time the 38-year-old and the director duo will collaborate.

A source reveals to us, “Aditya Roy Kapur has come onboard for Raj and DK’s next, and the prep for the project is underway. Further details of the yet-untitled project are being finalized. What’s exciting is that Aditya will be seen taking up a sport for the same.”

The source informs that the actor is gearing up to begin training for it. “Raj and DK are currently busy with the post-production of Citadel: Honey Bunny and they have just started the shoot of The Family Man 3. After wrapping up those projects, they will actively begin work on this new project with Aditya,” shares the source.

Whether the Kapur-Raj and DK project is going to be a big-screen spectacle or a web show is yet to be decided. The actor will next be seen in Metro... In Dino. We reached out to Kapur and the director duo, but they were unavailable for comment.

Patralekhaa has been a part of the industry for 10 years now and feels it’s going to be her year, as “it’s the product of seven years of hard work”. The actor is looking forward to four projects including films Phule, IC814: The Kandahar Hijack, Wild Wild Punjab and web series Gulkanda Tales. Calling it “one of the busiest phases” in her career, she adds, “I have been working hard to reach this stage. It required a lot of patience and perseverance.”

The 34-year-old, who has been a part of films like Love Games (2016), Nanu Ki Jaanu (2018) and Badnaam Gali (2019), credits OTT for getting her interesting opportunities. Web shows like Bose: Dead/Alive, Main Hero Boll Raha Hu and Aar Ya Paar got her recognition for her acting skills.

“I am glad with OTT, there’s varied content and diverse roles. When I met directors, they told me to try getting work on OTT. (Filmmakers) Raj and DK were the first ones who got me on board for Gulkanda Tales,” she says, adding, she’s been working non-stop for the last two years.

Patralekhaa admits the lack of offers used to bother her initially: “I had nobody to lean on in the film industry. But I caught up. That’s what patience and perseverance brings to the table.” Her professional life rose post her wedding to actor Rajkummar Rao. She quips, “I feel I should’ve got married much earlier.”

There was a time when female actors’ marital status dictated the number of offers they got. Patralekhaa credits a change in that to her fellow actors: “Kareena (Kapoor Khan), Deepika (Padukone) and Anushka (Sharma) have broken the norms. I don’t think marriage is seen as a hindrance anymore.”

What if Dil Chahta Hai’s (2001) Goa trip went wrong? From that thought was born Kunal Kemmu’s directorial debut, Madgaon Express. The comedy revolves around three friends whose trip to Goa leads to a series of misadventures. While Kemmu knew that Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani would be the best people to produce it, he didn’t have anyone in mind to direct it.

“I had written the film for myself to act in. But when I narrated it to Farhan, he suggested that I direct it,” he smiles, pleased at how direction happened to him accidentally.

Kemmu remembers starting work on the script in 2016, at a time when he wasn’t satisfied with the acting offers in hand. “I felt I wasn’t getting the opportunities I wanted. Do I want to crib about the opportunities that I don’t have, or work on creating opportunities? That’s how Madgaon Express happened.” He felt confident about screenwriting as he had previously written the Hindi dialogues for Raj-DK’s (Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK) Go Goa Gone (2013).

Madgaon Express stars Divyenndu, Pratik Gandhi and Avinash Tiwary. While Divyenndu took over the role that Kemmu had written for himself, the filmmaker is happy about his decision to not star in his directorial debut. “It would have been too much to handle for my first film.”

Kemmu has been acting since the age of six. As he begins a new chapter in his career, he says he has been influenced by the directors with whom he worked on comedies. “I did Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke [1993] with Mahesh Bhatt, Dhol [2007] with Priyadarshan, Golmaal with Rohit Shetty, 99 [2009] and Go Goa Gone with Raj-DK. I saw them at work, absorbed it and then tried to find my own voice.”

(L-R) Vikramaditya Motwane, Aanand L Rai, Anubhav Sinha, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK

The directors panel moderated by Mayank Shekhar, for FICCI Frames 2024 comprised acclaimed and diverse voices like Anubhav Sinha, Raj & DK, Aanand L Rai and Vikramaditya Motwane. The process of producing movies along with directing and writing, money dominating art and stifling emerging talent, and the need for diversity in our cinema - the session raised some crucial points.

The discussion on representation behind the camera evoked interesting reactions. Vikramaditya Motwane, who is known for Udaan and Lootera, pointed out, “The number of female directors today as opposed to when I started out has increased. The number of female HOD’s on my crew have grown exponentially. Even on the set of the series Jubilee, I could see that and it’s not a quota thing. The women were present because they are talented.”

Anubhav Sinha shared a slightly different perspective. He added, “Representation has marginally increased. I hope it gets better. I make a conscious effort with the recruitment teams to ensure this happens. When we wrote scripts earlier, all the important characters were upper caste. Sometimes caste is inconsequential, but I ensure those surnames are there. We need to be mindful of that.”

Raanjhanaa director Aanand L Rai stated that talent should be the only deciding factor for artists and technicians to get work. “Caste and gender don’t matter,” he claimed. Rai, known for the Tanu Weds Manu films, also took the opportunity to speak about AI. He explained, “Anything artificial can’t touch your heart. Maybe in the coming times, AI attains the intent that humans have. That intent is important. The day it (AI) gets it, I will start using AI.”

DK of Raj & DK, who have made The Family Man and Go Goa Gone, shared how writing can lead to representation. He said, “When we write our stories, we look for diversity. We create strong female characters. We have various regions represented, not just gender. This automatically leads to diversity in casting. When we pick our technical crew, most of us tend to choose people who suit the project. It’s a reality that in the DOP department, women are outnumbered by men. But when it comes to costume design or production design, women are in the forefront. We ensure the writer’s room has female representation to ensure the film isn’t a sausage fest..”

Are emerging directors getting platforms to showcase their talent? Do they have the freedom to make the kind of indies that were made 15 years ago? Voicing his opinion on this, Vikramaditya said, “We got a break by making indie movies, but I don’t think indie films exist in theatres anymore. It’s easier to get a romcom made because you get a star, and you get a producer. I got to make Udaan back then, but today I don’t see that happening a lot. There are exciting new directors today like Natesh Hegde, who made Pedro or Karan Gour, who made Fairy Folk, but their work is not seen. I feel there were better opportunities back then.”

Sinha believes that today “money has all the power” over creativity and that kills the director’s instinct. “Back then, the call rested with the directors. We had the confidence to follow our instincts rather than the data thrown at you as to what works and what doesn’t. Now even the distributor will talk to you about the pacing of the movie. Everyone knows everything! The flight of a director is terribly curtailed today,” he said.

Talking about how money drives the movie business and how that leads to creativity getting stifled, Anubhav Sinha said, “Years ago, we had independent producers backing us. Money used to foster art. Today that relationship is lopsided. Money has all the power. This algorithm is a cage. If you tell me this is what the audience wants, it intimidates and kills your instinct as a director. When a 12th Fail works it is called an aberration. When an action film, works, it’s a trend. I don’t understand why,” questioned Sinha, who has directed films like Mulk, Thappad and Article 15.

All the directors present at the session unanimously pointed out that no director becomes a producer by choice. They do it because it gives them control over their own content. Raj Nidimoru elaborated, “We became producers to make our films right and make them the way we wanted to. You direct, write, conceptualize, create it… that’s why we call ourselves filmmakers. My first business card said filmmaker. If you produce your work, you have the final say in marketing, posters and publicity. It’s what any filmmaker would want. This is the time to express yourself. You have so many ways to do it.”

Bollywood writer, director, and producer Krishna Kuppuswami Dasarakothapalli, known as Krishna DK, has purchased a luxury duplex apartment in Mumbai’s Goregaon suburb for over Rs 35.50 crore.

The director, known for his work including The Family Man, Farzi, and Stree has acquired the 6,245-square-foot property jointly with his wife, Anuradha Sharma.

As part of the deal, the buyers will also get ownership rights to a 1.62% land parcel of the Tower Windsor Grande Residences, which also counts other Bollywood personalities, including actors and leading singers, as apartment owners.

Krishna DK has paid stamp duty of Rs 2.13 crore for the registration of the deal that took place in December, according to documents accessed through Zapkey.com. The buyers have acquired the property directly from Windsor Realty, the developer of the project.

The luxury project with two towers is spread over four acres near Lokhandwala Complex and was delivered four years ago.

ET’s email query to Krishna DK’s team remained unanswered until the time of going to press, while Windsor Realty’s founder, Gopal Narang, declined to comment on the story.

The demand for residential properties and its conversion into sales across the country’s top eight cities scaled an all-time high in 2023, led by heightened activity in the mid-income, premium, and luxury segments.

Among the key markets, Mumbai led the performance as the country’s biggest and most expensive property market continued its record-setting spree, scaling a new peak with its best annual performance in terms of both registration of properties and revenue collection through stamp duty charges.