Even as Muzammil Ibrahim shoots for Salman Khan’s next, the working title of which is SVC63, there’s another biggie lined up. The actor told mid-day that creator and director Neeraj Pandey is set to take the third season of Special Ops on floors soon.

Ibrahim, who plays undercover agent Avinash in the Kay Kay Menon-led spy thriller, is hopeful that his character will enjoy longer screen space in the next season.

The actor shared, “We will be on Special Ops sets soon. The show introduced me to a wider audience. After season two, Neeraj sir told me that they received feedback that people wanted to see more of me. I hope that the team makes a note of it and I get to see more of [my character].”

The second edition of Special Ops, also starring Karan Tacker and Vinay Pathak, dropped on JioHotstar in July 2025.

Expressing his admiration for Pandey, Ibrahim said, “Working with Neeraj sir is a different experience altogether. The professionalism the man and his team bring to the table is amazing.”

Despite the accolades and decades of experience, actor and director Ananth Mahadevan says he is often overlooked for roles that he believes are tailor-made for him. The latest disappointment? The Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Governor.

After playing RBI governor S Venkitaramanan in Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020), Mahadevan earned widespread praise. Yet, when casting began for A Ramanan — a character reportedly inspired by S Venkitaramanan — nobody approached him.

“When Scam 1992 came out, Manoj was one of the first persons to acknowledge my performance on social media, before Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shahid Kapoor. I would have given the role an edge and looked like the character of the Governor, had I been given the chance,” laments Mahadevan. He adds that filmmakers today often “lack maturity” in their thinking.

While Bajpayee may enjoy greater popularity, Mahadevan argues that both actors are ultimately valued for their craft. “Manoj may be a more popular star than me but he has a different grade of popularity. He is not in the rat race, as he himself admits. If they had got Kamal Haasan to play that part, I would have been fine with it.”

The actor says this isn’t the first time he has been sidelined. He recalls messaging director Neeraj Pandey about the R D Burman biopic with photographs, only to receive no response. “Maybe because they wanted more commercial options,” he says.

“If they had taken a Bengali actor who looked like the music director, that would have been alright. I have nothing against Farhan Akhtar, his father [Javed Akhtar] is a dear friend, but if I was making the film, would I cast Farhan? No.”

- ‘Thiruda Thiruda’ (1993): Mahadevan says director Mani Ratnam had initially considered him for the CBI inspector’s role, which eventually went to SP Balasubrahmanyam.

- ‘Halo’ (1996): He says cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan had approached him for a father’s role, but filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi ultimately played the part.

The upcoming film Ghooskhor Pandat, starring Manoj Bajpayee and directed by Neeraj Pandey and Ritesh Shah, has sparked controversy over its title since its announcement last week. What began with objections on social media has escalated, with the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) calling the title “offensive and derogatory” and demanding a ban.

The row has since spilled into the political and legal arena. A writ petition has been filed before the Delhi High Court challenging the show’s proposed release, alleging that its title and promotional material are defamatory and communally offensive. FWICE has also written to OTT platforms and producers, arguing that the title singles out a particular community and its traditional livelihood in a manner that could hurt sentiments and disturb social harmony.

“FWICE is absolutely against making a mockery of any community,” says Birendra Nath Tiwari, president of the union. “We are demanding not just a change of title but a ban on the film, because the intent is evident in the title itself. Such things may have been tolerated earlier, but they are unacceptable today.”

He added that if the release is not stalled, FWICE will issue a non-cooperation notice against the producer, director and cast. “It is shocking that someone like Neeraj Pandey would make a film like this and that Manoj Bajpayee agreed to be part of it,” Tiwari said, also calling for mandatory registration of OTT titles to prevent such controversies.

Responding to the backlash, Manoj Bajpayee shared a statement on social media on Friday, saying he respects the concerns raised. “When something you are part of causes hurt, it makes you pause and listen,” he wrote, adding that his decision to do the film was driven by the character and its journey, not a commentary on any community. He also said the makers have taken down the promotional material in light of public sentiment.

The makers of the film, including Neeraj and Ritesh, as well as the OTT platform, did not respond to queries till the time of going to press.

The film’s title has also triggered strong political protests in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with members of Brahmin organizations demanding a ban and alleging that the project targets a particular community. In Uttar Pradesh, the state government ordered the registration of an FIR against the film’s director over the title. Effigies of the filmmakers and actor Manoj Bajpayee were burnt at multiple locations.

Amruta Khanvilkar was originally signed on for a six-day cameo in Neeraj Pandey’s upcoming Netflix series, Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web. But clearly, she walked in and changed the plan. During auditions, the director asked her to perform a new scene on the spot — and minutes later, she bagged a meatier role.

“When I performed the scene, Neeraj sir said, ‘Amruta, we want to cast you for a bigger role we have.’ That’s how I landed Mitali’s character,” she recalls.

Pandey also asked her if she could pull off action. Khanvilkar admitted she didn’t know stunts — but she is a dancer and understood rhythm. She said, “‘Sir, if you teach me choreography, I can do it in half an hour.’ They gave me an action sequence, which I did with the action master. People were surprised.”

Within days, she grew confident — perhaps a bit too confident. She reveals that she injured both a stuntman and herself while filming.

“In the beginning, you are alert and conscious because you are new to [action]. Slowly, I got a little overconfident, and I punched a stuntman, his jaw got hurt and my hand swelled up like a balloon. I cried for 15 minutes, then I put on boxing gloves and performed a kickboxing scene with the swollen hand.”

Bruises aside, she says she had a blast on set. The actor adds that Emraan Hashmi’s humility, despite his massive fan following, made it easier for everyone to bond.

“It is great to have an actor who is so grounded. He is unbothered about the baggage that comes with his fame, success, and fan following. [That’s why] you can joke and have a conversation with him. That chemistry always shows,” she smiles.

“I can’t forget my struggles just because I’m getting praise today. I’ll never forget that younger version of me. He cried alone but never gave up on this version of me, so I won’t give up on him. I’ll always be grateful to that boy,” says Mimoh Chakraborty.

For someone who once entered Bollywood with the weight of great expectations, Mimoh Chakraborty’s journey has been anything but conventional. The actor, who debuted with Jimmy (2008) at 24 and hoped to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mithun Chakraborty, was met with harsh criticism and brutal rejection. But years later, the Mimoh we meet today is far more composed and grounded.

His portrayal of Himel Majumder in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter marked a turning point, earning him praise. Reflecting on the contrast between that performance and the shaky beginnings of his career, he says, “I’m still a student. If I were to meet Mimoh from 2008, I’d tell him the same thing I tell myself today: you have a lot to learn. I feel more responsible now because people liked what I did in Khakee. It’s not a victory, it’s the victory lap. At 41, I believe I’m entering my prime and feel like I’m finally part of the race. Everything happens in its own time and place.”

He vividly remembers being written off early in his career. “Nobody likes being told they’re not good enough. Back then, it shook me. In my head, I believed I was good because we all see ourselves as the hero of our own story. But when that illusion breaks, you realize it’s not about you. That’s when bitterness slowly starts to turn into something better. It’s taken years, but I’m in a better place now,” says Mimoh, who will soon be seen in Haunted 3D: Ghosts Of The Past.

There was a time when Mithun Chakraborty reached out to people to put in a word for his son, but the response was silence. Mimoh laughs as he recalls, “I’m like the poster boy for anti-nepotism. My father reached out, but nobody responded. Not because they had anything against him, but because it didn’t matter to them. This is a professional industry. Nobody owes you anything. Opportunities come when someone believes in you. Neeraj Pandey and Vikram Bhatt believed in me and offered me Khakee and Haunted 2 after auditions. My father never even spoke to Neeraj sir. It’s not about favours. It’s about belief. That belief from a filmmaker changes everything.”

Having made his debut with the expectations that come from being Mithun Chakraborty’s son, does he still feel the weight of his surname? “The responsibility will always be there. But I don’t obsess over it. My father’s legacy is unique — not just in cinema, but in his humanity. I can’t replicate that, and I’d be foolish to try. I need to set an example for Mimoh, not for Mithun Chakraborty’s son. That’s my identity. Being his son is an honour, but Mimoh should define who I am,” he concludes.

For many writers, direction is a natural progression. It was only a matter of time before Ritesh Shah, who has penned acclaimed films like Sardar Udham (2021), Pink (2016), and Airlift (2016), took his place behind the camera. Now that he has taken the leap, the first-time director has put together an eclectic cast for his thriller — Manoj Bajpayee, Saqib Saleem, and Akshay Oberoi. Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey is serving as the creative producer on the project.

Sources tell us that the film went on floors in Mumbai on April 18. After a long schedule in the city, Shah led his crew to Bhopal. “The three lead actors were recently spotted shooting in Bhopal. Through May and June, they are set to film across various parts of India. The movie is an intense thriller with twists, characteristic of Neeraj’s storytelling style. Neeraj is providing creative leadership and production support.”

While plot details and the title remain under wraps, the source adds that the movie will stream on Netflix sometime next year. 

Aadil Zafar Khan made his acting debut on the big screen with Shikara (2020). However, it is on OTT that he has found footing as an artiste. Aadil’s performance in his latest outing, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, has earned him rave reviews.

He tells us, “Shikara released in February 2020, and a month later, the entire world went into lockdown. After almost two years of being out of sight and out of mind, (filmmaker) Neeraj Pandey sir gave me Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story, and it revived my career.”

Aadil says that he, too, has experienced the problem faced by most young actors today — casting decisions being driven by an artist’s social media following. He shares, “Social media popularity should be the byproduct of your work as an actor and not vice versa. Thankfully, I feel that the practice is slowly declining. We have makers like Neeraj sir, whose only criterion for casting is an actor’s suitability for the part.”

In the same vein, Aadil asserts that he understands the makers’ compulsions: “If you look at it from a business perspective, the reach of an actor does help the project. It becomes a problem only when social media popularity is prioritized over talent. There is a difference between content creators and actors, and that should be kept in mind.”

The actor says that he is grateful for getting a chance to show his versatility. “It’s my mother’s blessings from up there that it is all happening naturally. The hunger for being appreciated and loved by the crowd will never end. Acceptance is your earning as an actor,” he says.

“More numbers on the speed dial, you mean?” quips Neeraj Pandey when we ask him about the things that have changed in his approach to filmmaking in the 16 years since he burst onto the filmmaking scene with A Wednesday! The rigours of storytelling remain unchanged, he says, just as the pressures of dealing with producers, studios and networks persist.

“The ability to grasp things might have gotten sharper, but now you’ve got new tech that throws new challenges. You live and learn every single day on the set, and you just hope you’re always catching up. The tech is growing faster than you can imagine, and so that part of learning is pretty complicated and you want to stay up to speed,” he says.

Pandey’s new film Sikandar Ka Muqaddar marks a return for the writer-director to the thriller, a genre he has often experimented with in the past through projects such as Special 26, Baby, Special Ops and The Freelancer. “I consider myself pretty genre-agnostic though,” he refutes. “It’s mostly about getting a story you’re excited about.”

Sikandar Ka Muqaddar, which premieres on Netflix on November 29, builds around a diamond heist. “Sikandar [Avinash Tiwary] becomes a suspect and cop Jaswinder [Jimmy] shapes Sikandar’s destiny throughout the film, over the course of 15 years,” Pandey tells us. Hence the title.

Is there a reference to the Prakash Mehra-directed Amitabh Bachchan film it plays on? “Nothing,” shrugs the director, “apart from the fact that I grew up on that film and my entire generation loved its music.”

Sikandar Ka Muqaddar was shot over a period of three months in Mumbai, Karjat, Pune, Lonavala, Agra and Abu Dhabi. While there are usually different trials and challenges to negotiate on a set, the weather and light conditions proved tricky, the director tells us. Since they wanted to finish filming by April to shoot with a certain kind of light and weather, they were racing against time, he adds.

The new film also marks another collaboration between Pandey and Jimmy Sheirgill after A Wednesday!, Special 26 and Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. His “longevity” distinguishes him, says Pandey of the actor who began his film career in 1996 with the Gulzar-directed Maachis. “He’s been around and not changed much as a person. He’s pretty much the same guy he was when I was filming A Wednesday! in 2007—at least with me,” he says.

At the same time, he has evolved significantly as an actor through the different roles he has done, he points out. “There’s a certain amount of stay that has come in. His performance is more nuanced and he’s holding on to his pauses way better now.”

Besides Sheirgill, Tiwary and Tamannaah Bhatia in lead roles, the ensemble also features actors like Zoya Afroz, Ridhima Pandit and Rajeev Mehta. “As individuals, these actors are chalk and cheese, and so, it gets interesting when you’re dealing with them on set,”

Pandey tells us, explaining how a director must understand the actors’ individual processes and ways of interpreting information. “You cannot use the same grammar, the same vocabulary with every actor. With some, like Jimmy who’s had this journey with me, I can convey [a lot] without saying too much.”

Her latest release, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha (AMKDT), gave actor Saiee M Manjrekar a chance to work with her on-screen idol, actor Tabu. Saiee, who played the younger version of Tabu’s character, says, “I was a nervous wreck initially as she is an artiste I have looked up to all my life. But after a lot of workshops and training, I became calmer.”

Recalling her first meeting with Tabu, the 22-year-old says, “Neeraj sir (Pandey, filmmaker) called me to his office and Tabu ma’am was there. He told me she’d read out my lines and I’d have to remember her tonality. I was blabbering nervously while she delivered my lines.”

While she had a great time working on AMKDT, the film’s box-office failure did leave her disappointed. “The film was made with a lot of love and hard work. So, it was disheartening,” she says.

So, how does her father, actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar advise her to deal with failures? “I have seen my father go through tough times and I’ve learnt a lot just by observing him,” Saiee says.

While she hopes that AMKDT finds its audience on OTT, the actor is certain that the charm of the big screen will never fade away. “I feel the thrill of watching a film on the big screen will never go away. Eventually, when you find the pulse of the audience, it will all come back. It’s just about timing, I think AMKDT’s timing was wrong,” she says.

If Kay Kay Menon features in a project, it features in our watch-list. And if it blends his acting prowess with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s much-loved work, Sherlock Holmes, it’s a no-brainer. That explains why we’re looking forward to Shekhar Home. The Jio Cinema series reimagines the iconic detective in the setting of 1990s India. Playing the famed detective can be a big draw for any actor, but Menon says it was the story’s adaptation that attracted him deeply.

“I normally don’t go with inhibitions at all. I go with an open mind [when approaching] any script. This story is set in a sleepy town called Lonepur in the 1990s, without telecommunication, mobile phones, or Zoom meetings. It felt so good while reading it that I was transported to that era,” says the actor.

Helmed by Srijit Mukherji and Rohan Sippy, the mystery series also stars Ranvir Shorey, Rasika Dugal and Kirti Kulhari. Over the years, there have been many adaptations of Doyle’s detective series, including the hugely popular Sherlock, fronted by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes (2009). Didn’t the fear of comparisons cross his mind? Menon says he embraced the challenge without falling into the trap of comparison.

“That is a trap. If I think like that, then I would never be able to perform. Benedict Cumberbatch is not playing Shekhar, right? Nor is Robert [Downey Jr]. I am playing Shekhar. I don’t look at it from the prism of something that has already been done. Otherwise, every love story would seem like Romeo-Juliet and Heer-Ranjha. I go with the principle that this is a unique script and given to me only, and I need to do justice to it.”

Holmes’ biggest strength is his power of deduction. The actor is quick to admit that he doesn’t have his subject’s observation skills. So, he embodied the character by gleaning out his other characteristics from the script, even letting the fictional town’s mood influence the role.

“I found that there’s a certain pace and rhythm that Shekhar sets, irrespective of the situation that he is in. I also represented Lonepur, that sleepy languid nature of the town seeping into this person. I let myself be; the mannerisms and body language happened. I don’t design as an actor. It’s all slightly transcendental.”

He adds that the production team had to carry out extensive recces before finalizing Bholpur and Haldia in West Bengal as the locations for the fictional town.

What added flavour to the story is that it was helmed by Sippy and Mukherji, each bringing their distinct voice.

“Their voices are very different. Srijit has a stereophonic voice, while Rohan has a softer voice. They are a powerhouse of talent and know how to go about a story. When I was doing Special Ops, I worked with both Neeraj [Pandey] and Shivam [Nair]. I love seeing the jugalbandi. Cinema is the most collaborative art possible.”

Actor Chitrangda Singh, who was seen in Gaslight last year and has a cameo in the Akshay Kumar-starrer Khel Khel Mein, has signed an OTT project. We have exclusively learnt that she will be seen in filmmaker Neeraj Pandey’s upcoming web show.

Confirming the same to us, Singh tells us, “I am offered many web projects, but I feel hesitant in committing to something that is half-baked, especially when it comes to OTT. It’s a longer format and needs a certain kind of writing. I am currently shooting for Khakee: The Bengal Chapter with Neeraj Pandey and I am quite excited about it. I am also about to sign a film and get back to the commercial space.”

In her two-decade-long acting career, Singh’s filmography has been limited, owing to her choice of projects. “When I wasn’t getting good offers and the kind of work I wanted to do, I produced Soorma (2018). Even now, I am developing projects and hopefully, by the end of the year, we should be able to put two projects into work — a web series and a feature film,” says the actor-producer.

Singh adds that the current uncertain box-office scenario has made it quite challenging to be a producer: “We’ve been struggling for the last three-four years. The pandemic derailed everything and even now, people are struggling to get back on their feet. It makes things more difficult, especially for someone like me who is a passion producer. But I’ve been trying and only those who fight can survive in this industry.”

First, a hit in Crew, then bagging the role of Sister Francesca in Dune: Prophecy, and now Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha—clearly Tabu is having one hell of a year.

When we tell her that, the actor laughs, saying, “I don’t set out with the ambition of proving a point with any film. I go into a project thinking, ‘How will I be interesting?’ I want to enjoy what I’m doing. I want either a cutting-edge film that gives me something different experientially, or sometimes I want to do regular, predictable [stories]. Crew came to me when I was doing Drishyam 2 [2022] and Bholaa [2023]. So, I wanted a break from that zone.”

Crew, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon alongside her, has proven that a film doesn’t need a hero for it to run to packed houses. Its success has given hope to filmmakers to develop more women-led stories.

“Not everyone can make a Crew. It was a combination of story, casting, and marketing. But if a few people are encouraged to make films with women [leading them] because of Crew’s success, it is heartening. It speaks volumes about the conviction of the makers, Rhea Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor. Rhea always believed it would be a Rs 100-crore film. I look at success differently. But she wanted to make a statement and was able to.”

Now, Tabu is reuniting with one of her oldest friends, Ajay Devgn, in Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The romantic drama marks their tenth film together. What’s the secret to their enduring chemistry? 

“When we say yes to a film, the story means something to us. You can’t define good chemistry. We don’t feed off each other’s energies. But we don’t repeat our dynamics. In some films, we’re pitted against each other; in others, we’re romantically paired. There is freshness to the casting. In this film, what works is that audiences have seen us together for so many years. To them, it’s believable that these two people haven’t met in a long time. People tend to believe that Ajay and I are two people in love, who couldn’t meet and are meeting after eons.”

The drama is her first collaboration with director Neeraj Pandey. She says that he has a knack for moulding his actors beautifully. “He will mould you in every take, with the brief he gives you. By the third take, he will want you to reimagine your approach. He’ll say, ‘Let’s try it with a smile.’”

Actor Tamannaah Bhatia, who is riding high on the success of Lust Stories 2 (2023), is all set to star in her next web project. We have exclusively learnt that the actor has been roped in to play the lead role in filmmaker Neeraj Pandey’s yet-untitled next film.

“Tamannaah will be the female lead in his film. The rest of the cast is still being decided upon,” reveals a source, adding, “The shoot began on February 24 and is slated to release towards the end of this year. The film will premiere on a leading OTT platform.”

The insider also shares that Pandey might choose the lead actor from the cast of his series Special Ops (2020), which starred Kaykay Menon and Karan Tacker among others,so he can work with someone he has already collaborated with.

They further added that the team is being tight-lipped about the project. “Everything is being kept under wraps as they don’t want anything to go out about the film. They want to keep everything hidden; in fact, there are jammers on the sets so that no one can communicate anything about the project [to outsiders]. There were a limited number of people on the sets of day one of the shoot,” adds the source.

Three projects can be quite a handful, but Neeraj Pandey is not complaining. The director recently wrapped up the Georgia schedule of Special Ops 2. His Ajay Devgn-Tabu starrer Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha is currently in post-production. But for this week, these two projects have taken a backseat as he focuses on The Freelancer: The Conclusion.

While the Mohit Raina-led web series’ first part premièred in September, the second part will drop online on December 15. Asked about the new trend of releasing a show in two volumes, the creator-showrunner says, “That is a call Disney+ Hotstar and we took to maintain the interest around the series for a longer time. The platform tried that with their previous [shows], and those were successful.”

The thriller is based on Shirish Thorat’s book, A Ticket To Syria, which told the story of female protagonist Zahi as she tries to escape from Syria. However, with The Freelancer, Pandey has tweaked the narrative and centred it on Raina’s character Avinash Kamath.

“The idea was to create something that is more franchisable. [We wanted to] tell the story in a way that when this episode in his life gets over, we still have room to continue it as a franchise, if the audiences love it,” he reasons.

Bollywood has seen its fair share of franchises. Filmmakers have now gone a step ahead, creating their own cinematic universes. So, if you have Rohit Shetty building his cop universe, Yash Raj Films is giving Hindi cinema a spy universe. Does Pandey have any plans of creating a spy universe as well? Raina’s character from The Freelancer joining forces with Special Ops’ Himmat Singh, perhaps? “They won’t cross paths,” he says promptly. “Everyone is doing it. So, I don’t have any interest in them [The Freelancer and Special Ops] coming together. It’s a good trend. But it has lost its novelty for me.”

In his 15-year run so far, the director has been the mind behind A Wednesday (2008), Special 26 (2013), and Khakee: The Bihar Chapter (2022). Clearly, thrillers are his forte. But Pandey disagrees. “I’m only chasing good stories. Otherwise, why would I make a sports film? You want to tell a story like [M S Dhoni - The Untold Story]—a person coming from humble beginnings and making it big through hard work and determination. I’m always fascinated by stories, not the genre.”

First time was the charm for Saiyami Kher and filmmaker Neeraj Pandey as they teamed up for the acclaimed web series, Special Ops (2020). Three years on, the duo are reuniting for another project. It’s not surprising that the director, the mind behind thrillers like A Wednesday (2008) and Baby (2015), has cracked an espionage film. While Kher has been roped in as the leading lady, we hear Pandey is in talks with an action star for the male lead.

What drew Kher to the movie, besides its gripping script, is the opportunity to explore action again. A source reveals, “Saiyami takes centrestage in this spy thriller. While she has dabbled in action with Special Ops and Wild Dog [2021], she has never explored a full-fledged action role. The actor will have to undergo special training before she faces the camera.”

The pre-production is underway, with Pandey planning to take the project on floors by the year-end. Sources say the first schedule will be in Prague, followed by stints in Mumbai and north India.

A Wednesday (2008), starring, actors Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher, had earned critical acclaim upon its release and enjoys a cult status today. As the movie clocks 15 years, Kher shares,“As long as there is terrorism in this world, this film will be relevant. A Wednesday had its own language. That’s why it will remain an important film, whether 15 or 50 years have passed. The film’s story was told in a different manner and there were no songs. It was not influenced by how films were shot in those days.”

A thriller, the film depicts a a cat-and-mouse game between an anonymous caller and a police commissioner. Shah, who plays the angry common man, threatens to detonate bombs throughout Mumbai if four terrorists are not freed.

Kher shares an interesting piece of trivia: the only scene in the film where Shah and Kher share the frame was shot on the first day. “We started the shoot backwards; the climax was done first. It was also one of those few scripts where not a single word was changed — the film was shot as it was written, which is unbelievable,” he says, adding, it was remade into a Sri Lankan film A Common Man (2013) starring actor Ben Kingsley.

Kher was approached by then newcomer, director Neeraj Pandey for the film so before reading the script, the actor had certain reservations.

“When the script was brought to me, I was working on other films. The makers said they don’t have a big budget, so they will pay half of what I charged then. When I read the script on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai, I was mesmerized. I was just hoping Neeraj had not gone to someone else. I called him and said I want to be a part of the film. I agreed to do the film at half of my fee,” shares the 68-year-old.

Once complete, the film faced a tough time as it didn’t have buyers. “Nobody was ready to release it. It took three years for us to release the film in theatres. Once it did, I felt a sense of vindication that it did well, and the audiences loved it. I don’t go into that terrain of box office numbers though...I just do my job and move on,” Kher ends.

For actor-director Ajay Devgn, it’s that frenetic final week before Bholaa releases next Friday. But even after the actioner hits the marquee, there will be little respite for the actor. Along with Bholaa co-star Tabu, he will soon kick off the second schedule of Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The musical thriller is a mix of old and new associations for Devgn — while it marks his tenth film with Tabu, it is his maiden collaboration with filmmaker Neeraj Pandey. The two were to previously join forces on Chanakya, but the drama was subsequently put on the back-burner.

Instead, they have teamed up for a love story that is said to span 20 years, between 2002 and 2023. While Devgn and Tabu shot for the movie’s first schedule in February, the director is now conducting the second leg at Film City, Goregaon, with the supporting cast that includes Jimmy Sheirgill and Saiee Manjrekar. Producer Shreyans Hirawat, whose last offering was Freddy (2022), says that the leads will join the stint by the first week of April.

“Ajay ji is currently tied up with the release of Bholaa, and we will wait for him to re-join the shoot. We hope to complete the principal photography by mid-May, and plan to release the film around Diwali,” he shares.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha will be largely shot across Mumbai and Lucknow. “We will have one overseas schedule,” says Hirawat, adding that the music will be composed by Oscar winner MM Keeravani.

As much as the producer enjoys collaborating with Devgn, he admits that the opportunity to back Pandey’s vision made him come on board. “What attracted us to this project is Neeraj Pandey, as [our production house] seeks to work with top directors. We have worked with Ajay ji before on Shivaay [2016], and share a great working relationship with him.”

A romantic musical thriller is quite a departure for Pandey, who has been the mind behind A Wednesday (2008), Baby (2015) and the series Special Ops. When probed about the subject, the producer is reluctant to spill the details, stating, “All I can say is that it is a romantic thriller. It has action, but [staying true to] a typical Neeraj Pandey film, it doesn’t have too much of it.”