The long-delayed Dostana 2 appears to have hit another roadblock. According to a recent report, filmmaker Advait Chandan has stepped away from the project, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the sequel to the 2008 film Dostana.

A report by Variety India claims that Advait exited the film due to creative differences with the makers, although there has been no official confirmation from the makers yet. The report adds that the parting was amicable.

The sequel was announced by Dharma Productions in 2019 with Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya in the lead. Shooting had commenced in Goa but production came to a halt in 2021 amid a widely reported fallout between producer Karan Johar and Kartik.

Advait, best known for directing Secret Superstar (2017) and Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), came on board after the project’s original director, Collin D’Cunha, exited the film. Earlier reports in February had suggested that Advait would helm the revamped version of Dostana 2, with Vikrant Massey, Lakshya and former Miss India World Sini Shetty expected to headline the cast.

In October, mid-day had reported that Lakshya of The Ba***ds Of Bollywood fame and Tiger Shroff were set to lock horns in Lag Jaa Gale, a revenge actioner (Here to fight, here to rise, Oct 21). For now, the two actors seem to be taking their rivalry to the dance floor.

Sources have told us that director Raj Mehta began shooting a dance-off at Mukesh Mills in Colaba on December 24. Over 100 professional dancers have been flown in for the Ganesh Acharya-choreographed number.

An insider close to the production said, “It has been conceptualized as a full-blown dance-off. Every beat is designed to contrast Tiger’s explosive dancing style with Lakshya’s easygoing moves.”

The two actors have been rehearsing for the past three weeks, before they came together for the joint run-throughs earlier this week. The song is expected to be wrapped up by December 29. 

Early December, mid-day reported that Dharma Productions’ new hero Lakshya and Janhvi Kapoor’s actioner, tentatively titled Lag Jaa Gale, is set to go on floors (From ‘Ba***ds’ to badla/Dec 3). Now, sources tell us that the shoot of the Raj Mehta directorial film is in full swing, with the production planned over a three-month schedule.

“Lag Jaa Gale is going to be shot in a start-to-end schedule, from December to March, in Mumbai. The actors have given block dates to Raj, who is keen to wrap up the film by March end,” a source informs. 

The film also stars Tiger Shroff, who plays Lakshya’s nemesis. The makers aim to ready the film for a theatrical release in the second half of 2026.

“It’s going to be an out-and-out actioner with enough drama between the three primary characters to ground the film. The action sequences between Lakshya and Tiger, who both excel in this genre, are being envisioned as the film’s highlights. The theme of revenge forms the core of the film,” says another insider, adding that if all goes as per plan, the film is likely to arrive in theatres by the second half of 2026.

What’s next for Lakshya? That’s what many are wondering after he caught the attention of the masses with his lead role in director Aryan Khan’s satire The Ba***ds of Bollywood. It looks like the actor has bagged another big-ticket production. He has been signed on for Dharma Productions’ action drama, to be helmed by Raj Mehta. Joining Lakshya in the action extravaganza is one of the experts in the genre — Tiger Shroff.

The film will be a homecoming for Lakshya as Karan Johar’s banner had launched him in movies with Kill (2024). A source tells mid-day, “Kill was an out-and-out action fare. But this time, a revenge story is at the centre of this action offering. The film is in its final stage of prep and Raj plans to take it on floors by November.”

Another source indicates that the two actors are pitted against each other in the movie. “It will be Tiger versus Lakshya. Both actors have shown their prowess in the action genre, and the film will benefit with them sharing screen space,” says the source. The buzz is that Janhvi Kapoor, a frequent face in Johar’s productions, is the female lead.

Interestingly, this is the same action film that Johar had announced on his 50th birthday in 2022 and was supposed to direct after Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), marking his foray into the genre. But the filmmaker changed his mind and has now passed the project to Mehta, who has helmed ensemble dramedies  Good Newwz (2019) and Jug Jugg Jeeyo (2022).

“Karan has set his eyes on another story now, something that is more in his zone of drama and emotions. He is confident that Raj will blend masala with big-screen action well,” shares an insider.

"Apne gusse ko paalna seekh,” is not just a dialogue from Sunny Deol’s Ghatak (1996), but a saying that actor Lakshya swears by. He tells us the line stayed with him as he waited years for his film career to take off. Today, time is on his side — he is the lead of Aryan Khan’s maiden directorial venture, The Ba***ds Of Bollywood.

“My life has always been such. Mujhe har cheez rulake milti hai. But I feel if [something comes] quick, it doesn’t last. If you work hard and sincerely on something for a long time, it works out,” says the actor.

Over the last two years, Lakshya and his co-stars Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, and Anya Singh waited for their moment in the sun as they shot for the Netflix series. It wasn’t easy. Lakshya recalls, “People used to say, ‘Tumhara serial kab aayega?’ But we were aware that what we were making would take time. Aryan has taken his time in writing, shooting, and editing it.”

The patience has paid off as The Ba***ds Of Bollywood is the most anticipated OTT show in India right now. All eyes are on the series, and more importantly, on the man behind it. Having worked with Shah Rukh Khan’s elder son, Lakshya says Aryan shattered all the perceptions he had of a star kid. 

“You have read about star kids and seen them on pap pages. All of that perception was broken the first day I met him. He speaks and thinks the way Raghav, Anya, Sahher and I do. He speaks in Hindi. He knows about the discomfort of life because of what he went through. So, he was compassionate. He knew we were all outsiders, and was sensitive about where we were coming from. His beard and hair would grow, and he wouldn’t cut it [because he was focused on the show], and then out of the blue, he would cut all his hair. Nothing about him said that he is a star kid. We used to say, ‘Yeh toh humare jaisa ladka hai’.”

Lakshya remembers how respectfully Aryan met his parents at the première of Kill (2023). “He touched my father’s feet. My dad was in awe of him and said, ‘This is Shah Rukh Khan’s son? Tu kabhi mere paer nahin chhoota!’”

What was also noteworthy to Lakshya was the director’s ability to blend with his surroundings. “He can be a star kid with his friends, and then he can become like us as well. He knew both worlds very well.”

​For 26 years, July 26 has been observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas, commemorating India’s victory in the Kargil War. In 1999, TV brought the war into the living room with 24 hour news cycles. At the time, realtime footage left little room for films to fill in the blanks. With time, filmmakers began exploring the Kargil narrative. The early 2000s saw a number of films – LOC Kargil (2003), Dhoop (2003) and Lakshya (2004). In recent years, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) and Shershaah (2021) attempted to show the war on screen. If TV captured Kargil as it happened, cinema stepped in to memorialize it, say cinema experts.

“That emotional connection created by films is very real,” says Major Sandeep Sangwan (Retd). “They help citizens understand and appreciate what the Army does, especially those who may never see it firsthand.”

A film distributor recalls that when LOC Kargil and Lakshya had released, these films inspired many young people to join the forces. He says, “It’s not important to have 200 films (on the subject). What’s important is to have authentic films that tell the story of the Kargil war and inspire youngsters.”

Retired Major Sandeep Sangwan believes realism alone doesn’t move people. “If a film only talks about an operation without showing what the soldiers are feeling, it won’t stay with the audience. Emotional storytelling is key. That’s why you’ll always notice a personal angle in good war films – the family waiting back home, the camaraderie among soldiers.”

Major (Retd) Sandeep Sangwan, who now consults on military operations for films, names three films when it comes to cinematic depictions of the Kargil War – LOC Kargil (2003), Lakshya (2004), and Shershaah (2021). “Most of the war heroes were part of LOC Kargil, whether it’s Lt Balwan Singh (now Colonel), Capt Sachin Nimbalkar (now Colonel), or Capt Vikram Batra, who of course became known as Shershaah – the Tiger of Kargil. Since 8-10 operations were packed into one film, it became hard for audiences to register everything, but it is one of the most remarkable films on Kargil war,” he says.

Written by Javed Akhtar, Lakshya zeroed in on one officer’s journey. “It followed one operation, and one officer – right from his Academy days to getting selected, and eventually leading the operation. That’s why Lakshya stayed in people’s memory. It was focused and emotionally engaging,” says the Army veteran.

As director Farhan Akhtar, recalled on the film’s 20th anniversary, “Javed Akhtar had mentioned that he was working on a story about a young boy who joins the Army – not just in terms of calling, but also finding a true calling in life and truly understanding who he is through that process. That was the core of the film.”

Brigadier Gautam Ganguly, SM, VSM (Retd) says that stories from Operation Safed Sagar – the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) codename for its air operations during the Kargil War – should also be turned into cinematic projects.

“The Indian Air Force didn’t get as much recognition for its operations, which it conducted during the Kargil War. The stories of the officers who made immense sacrifices and displayed acts of bravery need to be told. Our younger generation must know these stories. After Operation Sindoor, people became more aware of the IAF’s operations – but back then, when the Indian Air Force didn’t even have precision-guided ammunition, the way they carried out their missions is an untold story of courage.”

Film historian Gautam Chintamani feels sometimes when you’re too close to history, you don’t know how to chronicle it. He says, “That’s been the challenge with depicting the Kargil War. It was India’s first war in the age of 24/7 media – broadcast live into our homes. But strangely, despite its gravity, the seriousness of the Kargil war was often diluted in how it was reported and remembered. I still remember how bizarre it felt – India was playing a cricket series against Pakistan, while the same news channels were reporting sensitive details about troop movements during the war. In some ways, people didn’t fully register what we were fighting for.”

He continues, “Now, 25 years have passed. And a huge percentage of India’s population is under 25 – which means for them, Kargil is history. For those of us who lived through it, it was current affairs. So now is the right time to re-examine and retell these stories. The first big film on Kargil was J P Dutta’s LOC Kargil. Initially, J P saab wasn’t keen on making a film so soon after Border (1997), especially since the war was so fresh. But he met many families, widows and parents who’d lost sons – and that moved him deeply. That’s when he decided to make the film. But I’ve always felt that LOC... would’ve worked better as a series. A two-hour or-four-part miniseries would have allowed the individual stories of courage to breathe. In the film, because of its length and scale, many heroes ended up being unintentionally sidelined. I think OTT platforms are ideal for Kargil war stories. Now, with the benefit of time and long-form storytelling, we have a chance to do justice to Kargil in a more layered, meaningful way.”

On the 20th anniversary of Lakshya, Farhan had said, “There is a simple thing that anybody who is not from the Indian Army doesn’t know – soldiers do not kneel. Getting down on your knees is not considered right – they either lie down or stand. These kinds of things were learning for us.”

The production team even collaborated with the Army to include real soldiers in the film. “As far as weapons were concerned, the Indian Army did provide us weapons, which were then modified to fire blanks. This was handled by production and leads from the Army,” Farhan said.

Mohommed Ali Shah, a former Army Major, who has acted in films like Haider (2014) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), believes there could be more films on Kargil war. He says. “There’s already been a surge of interest in the last few years with films like Gunjan Saxena and Shershaah. Lakshya stood out for its realism. To a huge extent, it was an accurate depiction of Army life – even Hrithik Roshan’s haircut was exactly how it is in the forces... Whether we fully agree with it or not, films leave an impact. And indeed, for a number of people, these films are how they remember Kargil War.”

“When you have people who trust you with their lives, with the one opportunity to ell their story, you have to make sure that you do it in a manner that honours their trust,” says Farhan Akhtar, who told the story of the Kargil War in Lakshya and will soon be seen as Major Shaitan Singh in 120 Bahadur . In an interview with us, the actor-filmmaker spoke about the responsibility of portraying institutions like India’s Armed Forces with authenticity.

Farhan’s 2004 directorial Lakshya is often held up as a benchmark in the genre. Amid the rising tension between India and Pakistan, some scenes from the film have been going viral on social media. But Farhan feels that, considering the pace of films today, audiences would have found the film long. “Today, if I released Lakshya, which was almost three hours and 18 minutes long, people would be like – ‘Oh my God! Bahut lambi film hai.’ Back then, it didn’t feel that way. So those are the things you keep more in mind. The attention span of a viewer has changed in the last 25 years. They want things to move along a little bit quicker.”

On playing a commanding officer in 120 Bahadur, Farhan says, “I’m playing one character who’s the leader and in charge of 120 other soldiers. Those 120 soldiers are equally as important because they fought the battle alongside.”

“So within that realm, this story was deeply appealing. Razneesh, the director of 120 Bahadur, is an army kid, his father served in the Army, his brother is still in the Army. He grew up hearing about Shaitan Singh and the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 Indo-China war, and he’s always wanted to tell that story. I feel very fortunate to be part of it.”

Talking about Ground Zero, Farhan says, “As a producer, I was only invested in making sure that this script is told in the most effective way possible. The story is complete in itself – whatever we’ve taken and drawn from in the story is taken from his life and from the times that he served while he was in Kashmir. So, we haven’t tried to do anything extraordinary just for the sake of doing it. We’ve been very true to his story, on how he dealt with things, all that happened around him, the atmosphere of the valley.”

It’s the same sense of responsibility, he says, that he brought to Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and now, 120 Bahadur, which is slated to release later this year. “My only concern or mission for films based on real people is to make sure that their stories are told the way they really want them to be told,” says Farhan.

The real challenge, he says, lies in writing. “We are condensing somebody’s life into two and a half hours. There may be events, emotions, or conversations that happened over six months, but you have to bring those into one scene. And you can’t veer away from it to a point where it becomes far removed from fact,” he adds.

For Farhan, depicting institutions like the Army and BSF and their stories accurately is paramount. He says, “You’re saying that this film is about an institution. This is the way this institution functions. Why would I want to change it in the film? In fact, I want to show you what that institution is so that you can learn something about it. The reason that Dubey ji (BSF officer on whose life Ground Zero is based) is the way he is, is because of certain training, certain discipline, certain protocol, a certain education. That’s what makes these people the character that they are.”

Stories like Ground Zero or 120 Bahadur , he says, are meant to hold space for those whose contributions might otherwise fade. “Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey ji accomplished something that created a pathway to a degree of peace in the valley that would not have happened for a decade. He should be remembered. Human beings move on; our memories are short. Amid all this, it’s nice to somehow find a way to remember somebody who’s done something constructive for society.”

Dostana 2, which was shelved in 2021 after a falling-out between producer Karan Johar and actor Kartik Aaryan, seems to be back on the table. This time, the casting may surprise you. While original choice Aaryan has moved on to another project, Naagzilla, under the same banner, sources close to the development reveal that Lakshya continues to be part of Dostana 2’s cast. We’ve heard that Vikrant Massey is now the frontrunner to play the parallel lead.

In 2019, Dostana 2 was announced with Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Lakshya. However, after 21 days of shoot, Johar announced that Aaryan had exited the rom-com due to “creative differences”, and the project was eventually shelved. Lakshya went on to make his Bollywood debut with Kill (2023).

“As initial talk about reviving the rom-com began in the production house, retaining Lakshya was a no-brainer,” says an insider. Dostana is known for its bromance, and the makers wanted a fresh jodi for the sequel. Massey, who is said to have bagged Don 3, apparently is a strong contender. The insider adds, “He is the top choice if the makers take Dostana 2 forward. The team wants actors with chemistry and gravitas. Vikrant fits that brief.”

We’ve also learnt that the script will undergo changes. If things work out, the rom-com will be a 2026 offering.

With his last big-screen offering, The Buckingham Murders (2024), Hansal Mehta teamed up with Kareena Kapoor Khan for the first time. Now, another maiden collaboration is on the anvil for the filmmaker—this time with Saif Ali Khan, actor and Kapoor’s husband.

“Saif and I are working on a film. I am directing it. It’s an adaptation of a book,” Mehta revealed to mid-day, on the sidelines of the Cinevesture International Film Festival that was held in Chandigarh.

Khan, who has beautifully straddled mainstream films, middle-of-the-road cinema and web series, has been on the director’s wish-list of collaborators. But if there’s someone who tops the list, it’s Kapoor. Mehta’s fondness for the superstar is evident as he wishes for another outing with her. In fact, he is actively planning one.

“We have sent a script to Kareena. Every time I look at a script, I ask, ‘Can we do something with Kareena?’ You want to work with her over and over again; she is a different beast altogether. Kareena is one of the most prepared persons on set, a thorough professional, and always happy. She is a big star, but it was a privilege. It was as if I was working with Pratik [Gandhi] or Rajkummar [Rao].”

A lot is happening on Mehta’s work front. Besides his next with Khan, he has his ambitious web series, Gandhi, and an actioner. While mid-day had reported that he was keen to cast Lakshya in the film (Hansal Mehta’s next to be an actioner with Lakshya, Jan 4), the filmmaker confirmed the project, but remained mum on its cast.

There’s more for Mehta, who launched his production house this January and has set several projects into motion. He shared, “We are producing an outrageous comedy, and a slasher film. We’re also looking at co-producing a zombie film. There is also an unusual love story in the pipeline.”

Almost six years after making her Bollywood debut with Student Of The Year 2 (2019), Ananya Panday is college-bound again thanks to producer Karan Johar. Last November, the filmmaker announced Chand Mera Dil, featuring Panday and Lakshya. After a bit of digging, we have learnt that Vivek Soni’s directorial venture is a college romance centred on engineering students. The director will call action on the project later this week.

A source tells us, “For the past three months, the film, which sees Ananya and Lakshya play engineering students, was in pre-production. Vivek will take it on floors on March 15. The first schedule will take place in Pune, where the team has zeroed in on a leading college where most of the campus portions will be shot.”

This marks Soni’s third collaboration with Johar’s banner, after Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021) and the upcoming Aap Jaisa Koi.

Another source says, “Vivek brings a fresh voice to relationship dramas. With Meenakshi Sundareshwar, he explored a long-distance marriage, and Aap Jaisa Koi will be a take on age-gap romance. With Chand Mera Dil, he attempts to understand what loves means to today’s youth.”

After a successful career in television that ran for over half a decade with shows like Porus and Adhuri Kahaani Hamari, Lakshya decided to take a break and explore the big screen. He faced roadblocks along the way - what was supposed to be his big debut, Dostana 2, was shelved after a few days of shooting and his next, Bedhadak, also didn’t take off. But Lakshya didn’t give up, he then went for the big kill. In a chat with us, he talks about his big screen debut Kill, the disappointments he faced at the start and how that’s changed him as a human.

Reflecting on the early setbacks, Lakshya, shares how he handled the challenges. “I believe in Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s lines - ‘Hua toh achcha, na hua toh aur bhi achcha.’ I gave it my best, and I was hopeful and confident. Yes, I faced setbacks, and there was a lot of confusion about what would happen next. However, when Dostana 2 was cancelled, Karan Johar sir called me on the same day to support me. So, taking the setback with Bedhadak was easier because I had already been through the disappointment with Dostana 2. I had prepared myself for it (laughs). There was a point where I thought ki main hi panauti hoon because mere waje se filmay band ho jaati hai. Finally, when I heard the narration for Kill (released last year), I felt a deep sense of excitement. People always talk about patience and perseverance in Bollywood, and it’s true. If you maintain that and give it some time, you’ll eventually get to where you belong,” Lakshya explains.

After enjoying popularity as a television actor, when Lakshya struggled in films, the experience only mellowed him down as a human.

The actor who has a bunch of interesting projects coming up shared, “When I was doing TV, I had become a little arrogant. Awareness nahi tha na. Coming from Delhi, getting a show, making money and getting recognized, made me a little full of myself. But the break and setbacks afterward were signs from God, saying, ‘Do you think you’ve arrived? Relax and reflect!’ So, the two rejections I faced helped me shed that arrogance. Also, when you play a king in a show like Porus, you start picking up those traits. While doing TV, I got caught in a loop, and I lost touch with reality. Coming into movies made me realize that there’s much more to achieve, and you’re not everything.”

He earned praise for his performance in action thriller Kill, and while the film had a slow start at the box office, it later gained traction due to word of mouth and featured international film festivals. The film also featured Raghav Juyal who, too, received a lot of attention for his performance.

Ask him if there was any moment of insecurity or fear of being overshadowed by his co-actor, and he says, “I feel happy when others succeed and move ahead. The more Raghav grows, the more I will too. Everyone has their own destiny. The kind of roles he gets, I won’t get and vice versa. We’re both different as actors. I’m not here to compete. What I really like about him is that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s like water—he just flows. He’s one of my closest friends in the city. During Kill, we only had a few scenes together, but every time he appeared on screen, I’d think, ‘This is some next-level work.’ He had all the funny lines and cool dialogues. I was happy with my own action scenes. My personal favourite in the film is Fani (Rahgav’s character), even more than my own character.”

Farhan Akhtar’s connection with the Indian Army is quite special. His directorial, Lakshya (2004), saw actor Hrithik Roshan play an aimless young man who found his calling in life by joining the Army. In Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Akhtar himself played athlete Milkha Singh, who was drafted into the armed forces. And now, he is shooting for his next, 120 Bahadur, which is a biopic on (late) Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, a Param Vir Chakra awardee who played a key role in the Battle of Rezang La during the Sino-India War (1962).

The 51-year-old says, “I got to learn a lot about the Army when I set out to make Lakshya. I realised that the Army is like a world unto itself, with its discipline, protocols... it’s very admirable to have that within you, that you dedicate your life to a larger cause...”

As for wearing the uniform on screen, Akhtar asserts that one’s body language changes immediately: “Wearing the uniform on screen is a matter of pride, though a part of you obviously knows that it is make-believe. But, wearing the uniform does something to you. There is a sense of responsibility and you feel honoured to wear it. The uniform changes your body language, the way you stand and conduct yourself. It’s incredible.”

However, making a film on the Army isn’t easy. Akhtar reveals, “Not all films on the Army are made with their clearance. However, certain films require the Army’s blessings. Lakshya was that, and now, 120 Bahadur. They ask questions when you reach out to them, and you should have answers. It’s their job to understand why you want to make that film. They should be comfortable.”

Barely a week after the grand announcement of his directorial debut, Aryan Khan has stepped on the campus of Whistling Woods International to shoot the final leg of his series, tentatively titled Stardom. Sources say that the first-time director has a seven-day schedule lined up in the film institute located in Goregaon, after which the unit will move to another venue for a brief period before calling it a wrap.

The show is led by Mona Singh and Lakshya. A source reveals, “On Sunday, Aryan kicked off the patch schedule, in which he will largely take some location shots and can some scenes. While Mona and the leading man were not required on Sunday, they are expected to join the shoot later this week. After the Goregaon shoot, the team will head to an office in Worli where they will film some entry scenes. Stardom, which is gearing up for an early 2025 release, is being edited simultaneously.”

Last week, as part of its 2025 slate, Netflix officially announced the project, describing it as “an entertaining ride through the adventures of a charming, ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood”. It has star-studded cameos by Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar, and of course, Aryan’s superstar-father Shah Rukh Khan.

The exorbitant remuneration charged by leading male actors in Bollywood has been a much-discussed issue in recent times, especially after films headlined by A-listers recorded low openings this year. Recently, when director-producer Karan Johar shared his views on the topic, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar highlighted how he has been a part of the problem himself.

KJo insisted on the need for male stars to reassess their remuneration during a directors’ roundtable conducted by The Hollywood Reporter India, when Akhtar interjected him, saying, “They are not going to know. But Karan, you have to just stop paying. That’s it.”

On his part, Johar said that he has stopped the practice now. Recalling how every leading man quoted high prices for starring in this year’s release Kill, he shared, “Every star asked me for the same money that the budget was for. I was like, ‘How can I pay you? When the budget (of the film) is Rs. 40 crore, you’re asking for Rs. 40 crore? Are you guaranteeing the film will do Rs. 120 crore?’ So finally, I took a new boy (actor Lakshya), and he was an ‘outsider,’ I have to say it.”

Be it the authentic depiction of the uniforms, ranks, operation procedures or avoiding over-the-top dialogues, Lakshya remains that rare Bollywood war film that manages to escape stereotypes and create a subtle yet impactful war narrative. “Lakshya is not loud, it doesn’t have jingoism. All the details are accurate, be it the uniform or the operations procedure.It also explored the impact of war on a soldier and the people around him,” said Brigadier (retd) Gautam Ganguly in an earlier interview

As Lakshya completes 20 years, we reflect on this film on Kargil war and how it has stayed relevant over the years.

Soon after Dil Chahta Hai, Farhan Akhtar was deliberating about what to do next and had a discussion with his father Javed Akhtar about some of his ideas. Javed shared that he was working on a story about a young boy who joins the army, not just professionally, but in an attempt to find his true calling and understand who he is through that process.

Farhan says, “This was just a story idea, but the core of it really spoke to me. In a large way, that’s what filmmaking did for me. Until I started making movies, I didn’t really know that it is what I wanted to do. I started it when I realized that my love for filmmaking is tremendous. So the germ of that idea was something that I could connect to. Of course, he sat down and wrote the screenplay, which is there for everyone to see. But it really started with a conversation.”

“We were scouting for locations, and I had expressed how I’d like to do the shoot. After Humayun’s Tomb, we moved to Hauz Khas and then to Tughlaqabad Fort. Since these were tombs and forts, we could not play the song out loud. The actors had to lip-sync. In the morning, nobody knew we were shooting, but by evening, the crowd arrived, knowing that Hrithik and Preity Zinta were shooting. We wanted to take a shot of Hrithik dancing in the sunset, but it was not possible due to the crowd. To this day, people come to me and say, Oh! You did Agar Main Kahoon,” says Vaibhavi Merchant who choreographed the song.

“Films or any pieces of creative work are created at a particular time in a person’s life, within a specific societal context, and (according to) the cinematic environment of that period. To gauge anything by the standards of 20 years later is always, I think, a mistake. Having said that, I look back at it with the fondest memories. It was extremely challenging and difficult to put that film together. We had some kind of youthful exuberance inside us as filmmakers, and Hrithik and Preity as actors. None of us had done this kind of film before, and that energy translated on screen.” — Farhan Akhtar

- Hrithik asked gentlemen cadets to teach him how to execute training shots and what to look out for.

- While the hairstylists were not on board with the Hrithik’s haircut initially, Farhan insisted that he wanted Hrithik’s hair cut same as the other cadets. Farhan wanted Hrithik to look like one of the cadets from the IMA.

- A major chunk of the film was shot in Ladakh at 13,000 feet altitude.

- All the actors attended a boot camp in Ladakh and the movie was filmed for five months in Ladakh.

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Farhan Akhtar’s natural demeanour on stage is something his fans love about him. The filmmaker-actor, who is also a musician and the frontman of the band Farhan Live that turned 10 recently, is full of energy during his live shows. In fact, his sense of humour while hosting award shows is also appreciated. But learning the art of being comfortable on stage hasn’t been easy for Akhtar.

“I was not comfortable speaking on stage. If I need to go on stage and perform, I know what I am supposed to do. So it is easy for me. If I have to converse with you, it’s easy because we’d be engaged talking. But if somebody says, ‘Go on stage and speak to the crowd for 25 minutes’, there’s a part of me that wonders, ‘Why are they interested in what I have to say? What am I going to do, give a PPT presentation?’ I think I have come a long way when it comes to speaking on stage,” says the 49-year-old.

But, given the nature of his profession, he needs to engage with audiences on a regular basis. Akhtar admits that acting helps him overcome nervousness. “When you play a character, you lose inhibitions because the character allows you that. It’s a strange psychological thing that happens. It’s easier when I am in character. If something makes you nervous, you should do it more so that you can ease it out,” says the Ms Marvel actor.

Akhtar feels hosting award shows has also helped him overcome stage fear. “It slowly, but surely helped me get over it. But I still remember the Lakshya (2004) and Dil Chahta Hai (DCH; 2001) days (he directed the films). DCH won a couple of awards and I didn’t attend the show because I was scared I might have to go on stage and say something,” he ends.

Stunt director Sham Kaushal recently spoke about the time he was diagnosed with cancer in September 2003. In a recent interview, Kaushal recalled how after returning from Ladakh after wrapping the schedule for Lakshya (2004), he started experiencing pain in his stomach.

He underwent an operation and had many complications. Kaushal had previously visited the hospital for his appendix problem with actor Nana Patekar. So the doctors called Patekar, who left his shooting in Pune to visit Kaushal in the hospital.

In an interview with a leading portal, he recalled, “I was unconscious. The doctors had cut out a piece of the stomach and sent it for tests. It was diagnosed as cancer. I was not sure whether I would survive or not. I have not shared this with anyone. I was in the hospital for 50 days. Luckily, the cancer did not spread. It’s been 19 years since that incident.”

Kaushal had even signed a film before his diagnosis. He said, “I thought there’s no chance of me surviving. I had even decided that I would end my life by jumping off the third floor because I couldn’t live like that. But I could not get off the bed because my stomach had been operated on. I told God, ‘Please end this. I don’t have any regrets. I came from a small village and by your grace, I lived a good life. If you want to save me, don’t make me weak’.”

He revealed that the film was Black Friday (2007). Kaushal spoke about how the film’s director, Anurag Kashyap, who was struggling at that time, sent him a message which read: “Only you will do this film and we will wait for it.”

Once he returned from the hospital after 50 days, he completed the movie.

Shanaya Kapoor, daughter of actor Sanjay Kapoor, was expected to make her debut with filmmaker Karan Johar, in a Shashank Khaitan directorial, Bedhadak. However, a report by Zoom says the movie, also starring newcomers Lakshya and Gurfateh Pirzada, has been “shelved or indefinitely postponed”.

While the report didn’t say much about the reason, a source informs us that the production house and the director want to focus on their next: “Shashank wants to start working on his next with actors Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna.”

We tried to reach representatives of the production house and Khaitan, but got no response till the time of going to press. When the movie was announced, Kapoor had shared: “I can’t wait to kickstart this journey, I need your blessings and love!”