Joining the list of newcomers making their acting debut in 2026 is Vir Hirani, son of filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. If things go as planned, the new kid on the block may appear on screen as early as this summer. mid-day has learnt that Vir’s maiden series, ‘Pritam Pedro’, which also marks the filmmaker’s first web offering, is being lined up for a May release on JioHotstar.

A source revealed, “The cyber crime thriller was originally mentioned in the streamer’s 2025-26 slate. But as work on the series went on for long, it is finally arriving this May.”

‘Pritam Pedro’ sees Arshad Warsi portray an old-school cop, compelled to team up with Vir’s young officer, who is a computer geek and uses technology to solve cases.

Rajkumar, who serves as the co-producer and showrunner, had originally cast Vikrant Massey in the role of the young cop. The actor, however, had to exit the project. “Vir wasn’t supposed to be launched with ‘Pritam Pedro’. But during casting changes, Hirani felt Vir could fit in as a young tech geek,” said another insider.

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Vir Hirani will also be seen in director Shakun Batra’s next, an OTT film that is expected to roll soon

Bold, fearless, bindaas: few in the industry can be summed up like this. Actor Taapsee Pannu embodies these traits both off and on the screen. She talks about what works and how she functions, with her recent film Assi spotlighting the sensitive subject of rape. Excerpts from her chat on The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra:

If people like to watch violence on screen, let’s not demarcate it as ‘this violence is okay, but this violence is not’. We all enjoy big films, but all types of cinema have their own palate.

If one decides to only watch a certain kind of films, our cinema will start looking like a template. Then we as an industry will not be able to produce the kind of variety we are capable of.

There is also a notion people have about a film being okay to watch on OTT, but not in theatres. But the reality is that OTTs also don’t want films that are not big-scale event-based. Their mandates clearly state that they only want films that are box office successes. Soon, there will be a time when movies like Assi will not be released even on OTT platforms.

Director Lakshmipriya Devi’s debut film Boong has made history as the first Indian movie to win a BAFTA Award. Actor Vikram Kochhar, the only Bollywood name in the Manipuri-language film, calls the moment “extremely elating” yet bittersweet.

“It’s a proud moment for all of us, especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating the team. I’m happy my choice to back indie cinema paid off. But it’s also sad that we’re celebrating the film only after the West recognised it,” he says.

Released last year, the film struggled for screens in India. “My parents in Hyderabad and friends in Bengaluru couldn’t watch it due to no-shows. It did well at festivals and in the UK, but back home, it’s a brutal reality. We watch global content like K-dramas, yet we failed to support our own,” Vikram adds.

The 42-year-old reveals he signed the film while shooting Dunki (2023) where Lakshmipriya was assisting director Rajkumar Hirani.

He shares, “Raju sir even offered me an ad with actors Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi, but I turned it down as I had committed to Boong. I believed in the film, just never imagined it would win a BAFTA.”

During the release of Anek (2022), filmmaker Anubhav Sinha had proposed that small films could adopt a model of limited theatrical release, followed by a quick OTT première. He believed the approach would give small movies the chance to co-exist alongside big-screen spectacles. However, now, days after his latest offering Assi has arrived in cinemas, the director admits he has had a change of heart. 

“I’m saying the exact opposite today. The future is this size [of films]. Mid-size, medium budget, and high-concept films have the highest chance of a good ROI [return on investment],” he tells mid-day.

In the past eight years, Sinha has championed mid-budget movies, delivering thoughtful stories in Mulk (2018), Thappad (2020), and Bheed (2023). “That’s the only cinema I know as a maker,” he smiles. 

Even as tentpole movies dominate theatres today, the director remains clear that filmmakers should continue to make rightly budgeted, content-driven movies and they will find their audience. “I love Rajkumar Hirani and Rohit Shetty films as a viewer. But as a filmmaker, this is all I want. So, I will fight for my and my peers’ right to make films we believe in.”

Is making such films in today’s ecosystem difficult? Sinha admits it’s tough, probably tougher for others than him.

“[You have to] make a good film and recover the money. I make my films frugally. But it’s not easy for everybody. There will be six more directors who want to make such films; they are running around with their scripts. But they won’t get funded. I’m too senior and I’ve seen more than reasonable success. [So] I get to do this.”

For a while, there has been buzz around Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani teaming up for a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke. As per reports, the film was supposed to go on the floor this March. However, now it seems that the plans have been pushed ahead.

When asked about the film, Aamir said, “I have immense respect for Dadasaheb Phalke. I do know some of his life because of the research that Raju has done, and he has told me about it. I’m not sure if the script has been fully cracked yet, as he’s still working on it. Ultimately, it all depends on how the final script shapes up, so I’m waiting for Raju to take that call. He’s a great person to work with.”

If the film materializes, it will mark Aamir’s third collaboration with Hirani after 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014).

Aamir said this in a chat with us at golfer Amit Luthra’s 18th Invitational Fundraiser Tournament 2026, held in Chembur. Praising the initiative, the actor highlighted the importance of making golf accessible to underprivileged children. “What the Golf Foundation is doing is wonderful. Golf is often called an elitist sport because it’s very expensive... you need courses, infrastructure, equipment, gloves and so much more. Children from economically weaker backgrounds usually don’t get a chance to play."

In September 2025, mid-day had reported that Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani’s Dadasaheb Phalke biopic was readying to go on floors in January 2026 (Aamir cried over some moments in Phalke’s life, Sept 27). Now, there is a change in plans. The actor and filmmaker duo is planning to roll the much-anticipated project in late March.

What caused the delay? Insiders say that a fresh draft of the script is being developed, one that matches both Hirani and Khan’s vision while doing justice to Phalke’s journey that saw him become the Father of Indian cinema.

A source told mid-day, “Hirani and Aamir agree that the film must feel emotionally contemporary while staying rooted in history. The rewrite is to fine-tune the balance of humour and sincerity. They want to ensure that the character arc captures Phalke’s stature. The draft will likely be finalised by February, and production will begin in late March.”

While rumours were rife last month that the actor may begin work on the sequel to 3 Idiots (2009), he denied being approached for it. The biopic will be the superstar’s next.

“I, me, and myself. That’s all I could write if I had written an autobiography,” says Piyush Mishra. We sit in the Tamboo Media office, a quaint space, full of young blood, all excited to be in the presence of this monolith of art, song, theatre, and cinema. For those who’ve only brushed past his name, Mishra is many things at once — a poet who sings, an actor who writes, a musician who performs with his whole soul, and now latest, a novelist with his new book Tumhari Auqaat Kya Hai, Piyush Mishra. A fresh take on memoirs, his book assumes Mishra to be a fictionalized version of himself, Santap Trivedi urf Hamlet. In the book, Mishra fictionalizes friends and foes.

“Many would have been hurt if I would have put their real names. So I changed their names to protect their dignity. And no one would be hurt too, except for one director. I won’t name him still, but everyone would know him if you read the book,” says Mishra in the quiet of his office.

“Thoda tedha novel hai, par ekdum seedha bhi hai [It’s a crooked novel, but it’s also very straight],” he says. It’s a memoir in the true sense then, because that’s the person Mishra is. Unconventional and eccentric (he’s a theatre kid, after all), yet very straight to the point. He sits down with Sunday mid-day to discuss life, theatre, cinema, and the new adventure of his book.

Childhood started in the little town of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, a city celebrated for its legacy of Hindustani music and also recognised by UNESCO as the “City of Music”. The musical legend Tansen was born and died in the city. Perhaps, a childhood in such a city influenced Mishra’s own leaning towards art.

“In Gwalior, I first learnt that I am capable of doing this [the arts]. That’s where I learnt it,” he says, “But there were obstacles there too, with parents, with friends. I chose a very unique profession, and I was often told, ‘Kya gaana gaoge? Kya nautanki karoge? [What will you do, dancing and singing around?]’ But I loved it too much. That’s where it all started. So it holds a soft corner in my heart.”

He remembers Delhi fondly, “Delhi and I have a very strong relationship. I lived there for twenty years. I didn’t have any money back then but theatre was everywhere. All I did was work, but I didn’t make much money. But I don’t regret it, I earned something much bigger, adapting some of the best roles, best music.”

He tells us about how he remembers being “phissadi [weak]” in Physics as a child, but theatre brought back a certain love for it, as he played Galileo and Einstein. Having spent most of his theatre days in Mandi House, Mishra has plenty, and vivid, memories of those days. “There was a bench there, beneath a tree near my office. I would spend day and night writing there.” 

Cut to now, it’s been 23 years since Mishra came to Mumbai. “The entire topography of the city has changed in the last 23 years. Too many flyovers have come, a lot of crowd, a lot of cars too,” he says, “I still live in the quiet corner of Versova, but soon there will be flyovers here too. But you can’t challenge change. Even I have to accept it.”

He segues into talking about change in Bollywood. “Cinema too is as different as night and day. Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bharadwaj, Imtiaz Ali, Rajkumar Hirani, all of them came in the early 2000s. They brought a lot of change to cinema.”

But being in Mumbai is no easy task, even for Mishra. There’s a constant give and take. “I got money, real money for the first time in my life. That’s what it gives you. And I earned a lot of fame here. In the first twenty years of my career, only a limited, theatre-going audience knew me. Mumbai gave me everything, it gave me my band, my poetry collection, and now this book.” But the cost to pay isn’t cheap either.

“I would only recommend you become an artiste if you truly wish to. It can’t be forced. It needs hard work and a lot of studying. Even in my theatre days, I studied sculptors, writers, architects, playwrights.” 

A certain tug pulls Mishra between the two cities. “Mumbai is a commercial place. You work instantly, and you make money instantly, you earn fame instantly. But really, you can’t compare Mumbai and Delhi.” 

As he sat down to write this memoir, Mishra had to reflect a lot. Going through his entire life journey brought back memories he didn’t even remember making. But there were hard times too, like his alcoholism, which he touched upon in the book. At 62, Mishra is now sober. “I revisit only from a distance. When you look from too close, the pain can be too much. I like a bird’s eye perspective,” he says, “A generation of people started looking at me as a God. If they knew what I was like in the ’80s or the ’90s, my image would be ruined,” he jokes, “So I thought why don’t I tell them myself.”

But even in the days of his struggle, what kept Piyush going was “my work, and my wife. She worked. She told me when we got married, ‘If you love theatre, you do theatre. I am working, I will provide.’ I realized how important money is to live in society, and moreover, how difficult it is to make it.”

We may be days away from 2026, but Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani are going back in time to 2009. Recently, we reported that the actor-director duo is teaming up with original cast members Kareena Kapoor Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi for a sequel to their classic 3 Idiots (The idiots are calling, Dec 4). And it looks like things are progressing swiftly. We’ve exclusively learnt that Hirani is planning to take the comedy by mid-2026.

An insider shared, “Work on the script is going on in full swing. The premise for the sequel has been cracked, and it’s a matter of a few months before the screenplay is developed. The sequel to 3 Idiots will go on floors around June-July.”

So, where does that leave Khan and Hirani’s biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian cinema? While rumours earlier suggested that the film would roll in January 2026, the ambitious plan has now been kept for another day.

A source revealed, “The script needed more work, and both Raju and Aamir were clear that unless the script captured Dadasaheb’s life in all its glory, they wouldn’t take it on floors. They aren’t in a rush.” 

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

Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial 3 Idiots turns 16 this Christmas, and the film is once again in news amid reports of a sequel featuring the original cast: Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Ask Sharman whether he has any inkling about the project, and the 46-year-old says, “On more than a couple of occasions earlier, there has been buzz that the 3 Idiots sequel is happening. I hope that this time around, it’s true, but I have not been informed yet.”

But does he think there is scope for continuation of the story of the three friends from the film? “I am in no position to know. Only the master, Raju (Rajkumar) sir, Abhijat (Joshi, writer) sir and Aamir would be working on it if there is potential,” he says.

A smile comes to Sharman’s face as he talks about 3 Idiots. The actor reveals that it was his 2001 breakthrough film Style that ultimately led him to Rajkumar’s film. “Raju sir had seen me in Style and thought that someday he’d cast me in some movie.”

One of the most talked-about scenes from 3 Idiots is the one where Sharman’s character attempts suicide.

Elaborating on the effect the scene had on the audience, Sharman shares, “People would call my parents asking if I was doing alright. Not just parents, but many kids, including my daughter, were moved by that scene as well. She was just four when we were at the premiere and she started crying while watching that scene. She didn’t stop until I held her in my lap.”

Actor Arshad Warsi, during his recent visit to the city, expressed his deep affection for the people of Lucknow and its culture, recalling warm exchanges with locals on set and praising the city’s renowned hospitality and courteous etiquette. In an exclusive interview with us, the Dedh Ishqiya actor spoke about his three decades in the industry and what keeps him relevant, his kids’ desire to be actors, and the secret behind his ever‑cheerful vibe. Excerpts…

I love Lucknow. Every time I come here, I feel the city is getting better. The people are warm, polite and full of tehzeeb. I have been coming here for the past 30-years and there is a huge difference in Lucknow then and now! The city is cleaner, more organized, and the spirit is still the same.

Also, I love both Lucknow’s chicken and chikan (kurtas). I remember, we were shooting Dedh Ishqiya in the courtyard of a house in old Lucknow and I casually mentioned to Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) that ‘hamein ek hafta ho gaya Lucknow mein aur humne yahan kebabs nahi khaye hain abhi tak’. People around us heard that and in no time a few of them got kebabs from their homes for us! We had so many kebabs that the entire unit could feast on them that day. That’s the kind of affection you get here in Lucknow — instant, sweet and real. Here, even the smallest conversation has respect in it. Mumbaikars are casual in their tone, but Lucknowites’ speech has grace and sweetness.

Honestly, you can’t manufacture these things. You can put up an act and fake for fifteen minutes, but the truth ultimately shows. I think I’m just lucky and have a cheerful nature — maybe school and upbringing shaped that. I stay happy, and that reflects. I believe what you give is what you get. I’ve been nice to people, and they’ve been the same back to me. That’s the real secret. Everybody in the industry has been nice to me and so have I been to them. You get what you give. I teach and tell my kids the same thing.

Yes, both my son and daughter want to act. My son is currently assisting Siddharth Anand and has assisted Rajkumari Hirani. Of course, I’m scared — it is a tough job today. Acting is not an easy profession anymore as the success rate is so low. Out of 150 crore, a handful become actors.

Nobody can help anybody here — you have to make your own way. I can’t make a call to a director and ask them to invest hundreds of crores on my kids. Koi mere bete pe satta kyun lagayega? Even a casual call to a filmmaker to meet my kids means to expect them take them in their project, which I will not do. Why would anybody do that? Why would filmmakers bet on my kids if I ask them to do so? Why should I recommend my kids to anyone?

Oh yes, definitely! I am going to direct someday, I don’t know when but I know it will happen for sure. If you ask me what’s delaying my direction dream, it’s the continuous flow of acting offers. I do not make much noise about myself but I am pretty busy. I really need to get off my acting work to direct.

Not really. Aryan (Khan), the director of the series, is a very special kid. He is one of those directors who has a movie playing in his head. I did a small part in the series because I like him and Shah Rukh (Khan). But the outcome was huge. And working with him I realized that he is one of those directors whom you listen to when he speaks and act on it. While doing the series, I was 100 per cent sure the youngsters will love it. But I wasn’t sure about the grownups. And nothing what you saw in my character was impromptu, it was all scripted and envisioned by Aryan. The success of the song and my character Ghafoor is due to Aryan.

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, renowned for blockbuster hits like Munna Bhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, PK, and Sanju, was in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon for an event organized by Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where he spoke about his style of filmmaking and anecdotes from iconic scenes. Known for blending humour with meaningful social commentary, Hirani reflected on his films, cinematic philosophy, his belief in storytelling and more.

Rajkumar Hirani shared that the idea of Jadoo ki Jhappi came from his own father, who was a physically affectionate man and expressed love through simple gestures like hugs.

He said, “The idea was to capture feeling of warmth on screen, and show how a hug can have a magical, healing quality.”

“While developing the scene for Munna Bhai MBBS, Abhijat Joshi suggested adding the word jhappi, and that’s how the now-iconic phrase was born,” recalled Hirani.

Similarly, Hirani explained that the song All Izz Well from 3 Idiots was inspired by an old British practice where, during construction work at night, a security guard would periodically shout “All is well” to reassure everyone that things were under control and there was no danger.

“If you connect this idea, in life too, we often just need someone to tell us that all is well to feel calm and reassured. The phrase is a metaphor for hope – things could be going wrong but someone just saying ‘all is well’ could give you a good night’s sleep,” said the filmmaker.

When asked if the journey and the things going around him have made him cynical, Hirani reflected on how, despite exploring serious social issues in his films, the journey of filmmaking has not made him cynical.

“Cynicism is merely an escape – an easy way out that leads nowhere. Addressing these social issues through my stories is my way of staying away from cynicism; it allows me to channel my observations and concerns into something constructive and meaningful. Instead of giving in to despair or bitterness, I choose it as a tool for reflection and change,” said Hirani.

He added that to him, what truly matters, is how one chooses to respond when faced with something wrong – and through his films, he continues to respond with hope and empathy.

For Hirani, the role of cinema is not to prescribe morality but to reflect on the times we live in, offering stories that resonate with audiences while leaving judgment and lessons to society. “Every film carries its own unique flavour, and criticism is simply a part of life that should be received with optimism,” he said.

Talking about Dunki, Hirani said, “Cinema is like food. Some like the same and some enjoy variety. That is what I thought when Dunki received mixed love and reactions.”

For Hirani, while OTT provides convenience, the theatrical experience remains a communal, immersive celebration of storytelling that cannot be replicated on a screen at home. When asked about how he feels about OTT replacing theatrical releases, the filmmaker said, “With OTT, mediocre films will die, audiences will be more selective and will go to watch only blockbuster ones,” adding, “Watching in a theatre is like dancing with 500 people at a wedding, and watching on OTT is like dancing alone at home — they are not the same.”

Hirani shared how the iconic ‘Chamatkaar’ speech in 3 Idiots was crafted to satirise rote learning in the Indian education. “Omi Vaidya who had come from America was cast as Chatur, and we asked him not to study Hindi to preserve the character’s authenticity. During his audition, Omi recited lines from Lage Raho Munna Bhai without fully understanding the Hindi words, mirroring Chatur’s character’s approach to learning. His words did not match his expression & that’s what was needed for the scene,” Hirani said.

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Many were initially not convinced about Sanju – not only doubting whether Ranbir Kapoor could convincingly portray Sanjay Dutt, but also questioning why I even wanted to make a film on Sanju’s life

With censorship, new thoughts will stop. There should be a more liberal and balanced approach when it comes to film certification

They gave a glimpse of the magic they could create together when they teamed up for Sanju (2018). Since then, people have hoped Rajkumar Hirani and Ranbir Kapoor would return to the drawing board for another project. In fact, there was considerable chatter about the duo collaborating on a biopic. However, we now hear that the film on an athlete is off the immediate slate. Industry insiders claim the film has been deferred until 2027.

“Hirani and Ranbir were very excited about this one; they had been jamming on it through the year,” informs a trade source, adding that since the script needed more time, “Hirani decided to park it. Ranbir’s calendar is packed, so it made sense to regroup later. Everyone wants it to be like Sanju, so they’re okay to wait.”

In the interim, the director has shifted focus to a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, starring Aamir Khan, set to begin in January 2026. An insider reveals that Khan has been in preparation for months. “He’s growing out his look and will dive straight into workshops in December. This is the first time he’s playing a real-life pioneer of cinema, and Hirani wants to give it the grandeur it deserves.”

As per Kapoor’s schedule, he will first wrap Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War and the second instalment of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana. The source adds, “Post that, depending on which script is ready, he will take a call between Dhoom 4 and Animal Park, as they are both in advanced development.”

Heightened interest always surrounds an Aamir Khan project. His next, a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, is no exception. Recently, rumours suggested that the Rajkumar Hirani-directed venture has been delayed as the superstar wants the script to be reworked.

When mid-day reached out to Phalke’s grandson Chandrashekhar Srikrishna Pusalkar, he rubbished the chatter, saying, “It’s false news that the film is delayed. I checked with Hindukush and Avishkar [Bharadwaj, writers], and they denied it. Everything is going as scheduled. Nothing is being rewritten. The final draft is being prepared.”

Set against India’s independence struggle, the biopic will reportedly chronicle how Phalke made his maiden feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1931), thus sealing his place in history as the Father of Indian cinema. Pusalkar shared that the movie, as planned, will go on floors at Film City in Goregaon.

“The shooting will begin from January next year. Film City was officially named Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari, and it seems fitting for the team to shoot there,” he said.

Khan is known to be deeply invested in his films. Considering he is attempting a biopic after many years, the actor and producer is all the more involved in its scripting.

Revealing that the actor has been moved by Phalke’s journey, Pusalkar added, “Aamir has been involved in the writing, and is giving his inputs. While reading the script, he holds a kerchief in one hand. He cried over some special moments in my grandfather’s life. He gets emotional about what my grandfather went through. I’m waiting for Hindukush to introduce me to Aamir and Rajkumar ji once the script is finalised.”

While he is happy that Phalke’s life story will be known to a wide audience through the upcoming film, Pusalkar has a complaint. It saddens him that the Phalke family has been invited only once for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award that is presented by the government of India at the annual National Film Awards.

“In the 55 years since it has been instituted, we have not been invited by the government to attend the function, except on one occasion. Even the one time we were invited, we sat in the audience like guests. The family should have a say in this award. Many NGOs too are misusing my grandfather’s name.”

Isn’t the story of how Dadasaheb Phalke made India’s first feature film worth chronicling on the big screen? Most would say yes in a heartbeat. As did superstar Aamir Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who are teaming up for a biopic on Phalke, considered the Father of Indian cinema. It has quickly become one of the most talked about projects, but Phalke’s grandson Chandrashekhar Srikrishna Pusalkar reveals that initially, there were no takers for the story.

“Hindukush Bharadwaj and his son Avishkar did extensive research and wrote the script over the last four years. They had approached many producers earlier, but nobody was willing to take it on. The producers felt the story didn’t have the masala of a mainstream entertainer,” recalls Pusalkar. It was Hirani who saw merit in telling the story of the man who started it all for Indian cinema.

“Mr Hirani said it was our duty to make a film on the man who put Indian cinema on the world map, and because of him, we have rozi-roti. He also said that his intention with the film wasn’t to make profit, but for people all over the world to know about Dadasaheb Phalke.”

Interestingly, S S Rajamouli and Jr NTR have also announced a movie on the visionary.

Pusalkar reveals that work on the Khan-led biopic is on in full swing. “I have heard that the shoot will start from January 2026,” he shares.

Set against the backdrop of India’s independence struggle, the biopic will trace how Phalke got enamoured by movies and set out to make his maiden film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). There’s more, insists Pusalkar.

“The story will cover the childhood of my grandfather, who was born in Trimbak near Nashik. He had no plan of making movies, but when he saw the film on Jesus Christ [The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ], he thought why shouldn’t our culture, gods, and goddesses be shown. That’s how Raja Harishchandra happened.”

He adds that the movie will also depict how his second wife, Saraswatibai Phalke, deeply influenced his life. “My grandmother gave him her jewellery to help him go to London. She would sit in on the film’s editing and help him with reflectors on outdoor shoots.”

Pusalkar is ecstatic that Khan will step into his grandfather’s shoes. “He does everything with dedication and passion, and he will play Dadasaheb Phalke with the same sincerity. I’m sure he will do justice to my grandfather’s role.”

Phalke was not the original last name of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, better known as Dadasaheb Phalke. His grandson shares, “Our family’s surname is Bhatt. My grandfather’s ancestors used to supply cut banana leaves to the Peshwa kings for serving food, and that process was called making ‘phalke’ in Marathi. That led to the name.”

Before we became movie buffs, did we ever wonder who made the first Indian film — and how? Filmmakers S S Rajamouli and Rajkumar Hirani are answering that overlooked question with their respective takes on the life of Dadasaheb Phalke, the Father of Indian Cinema. Last week, Aamir Khan announced his reunion with Hirani — after 3 Idiots (2009) and PK (2014) — to make a biopic on Phalke with writer Abhijat Joshi and two others. Meanwhile, reports suggest Rajamouli has approached Jr NTR to play Phalke in a parallel project.

Though both films draw from Phalke’s life, they offer sharply different interpretations. A source reveals that Khan has the backing of the Phalke family and has been in discussion for over three years. “Aamir’s film is about the man behind the myth — his dreams, struggles, and absolute belief in cinema. It’s deeply human, emotional, and character-driven,” the source shares.

In contrast, the Rajamouli-backed version, directed by Filmistaan (2012) filmmaker Nitin Kakkar, presents a wider lens. “This is more about the world Phalke built. Nitin’s version is about how a cultural movement began, with Phalke as the catalyst,” another insider explains.

Industry watchers say the two films will coexist harmoniously, much like the varied takes on Gandhi. “Both can complement each other. While release timelines remain unclear, it seems Aamir’s film will come first. There is also ample excitement for the other film, which will be a multilingual project,” notes the source.

Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, widely known as Dadasaheb Phalke, was an Indian producer, director, and screenwriter, hailed as the Father of Indian Cinema. He released India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913. Over a 19-year career until 1937, he made 94 feature films and 27 shorts. The Indian government later honoured him by instituting the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest accolade in Indian cinema.

Over the past few days, our news feeds have been flooded with videos of Indians, in handcuffs, being deported from the US, as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. With the episode putting the spotlight on illegal immigration, it is being heard that Dunki (2023), which explored the theme, might return to theatres.

Sources reveal that discussions about a re-release are underway at Red Chillies Entertainment, which backed the Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu-starrer. “The situation with Indian immigrants being deported in terrible conditions has reignited conversations around the themes of Dunki. Like every Rajkumar Hirani film, it was always meant to be more than just a big-ticket release; it highlighted a real struggle. Given what’s happening now, the film’s story feels urgent,” says a source. 

In Dunki, Khan played Hardy, who helps his Punjab-based friends as they take the illegal donkey route and migrate to the UK in the hope of a better life. The film depicted not only the risks involved in the donkey route, but also the hardships illegal migrants face in foreign countries.

An industry insider adds, “There is interest from distributors. The makers are looking at a potential release as early as this month.”

When mid-day texted Hirani, he said, “I’m not aware of any such plans, but I’d be happy if it re-releases. Illegal immigration has been happening for years from Punjab. It’s just that the rest of the country is becoming aware now.”

We also reached out to Red Chillies Entertainment, who didn’t respond till press time. 

Aamir Khan and grand parties don’t quite go together. Ask his industry friends, and they will always remark how the superstar is fond of intimate gatherings with family and friends. But that’s about to change. With Khan set to turn 60 on March 14, we’ve heard that he has decided to celebrate the personal milestone with a big, star-studded bash at a Bandra five-star hotel.

A source says, “Aamir is planning to bring in his 60th birthday in a big way. It’s the first time he will host such a grand birthday party. The past year has been momentous for him—while his daughter Ira got married in January 2024, his son Junaid forayed into movies and is gearing up for his second release, Loveyapa. At this point, the superstar is feeling grateful and content, and wants to share his joy with everyone who has been a part of his journey.”

So, whom can we expect at the March 13 bash? We’re told all the Bollywood bigwigs are on the guest list, from two of the superstar’s closest friends Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, to his frequent collaborator Rajkumar Hirani.

“Everyone, from his friends to colleagues, will attend the celebration. The who’s who of Bollywood is expected to show up—Karan Johar, Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Chopra and Rani Mukerji, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid and Mira Kapoor, Sunny and Bobby Deol, as well as his Dangal [2016] finds Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh. Among the filmmakers, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ashutosh Gowariker, Rajkumar Santoshi, Nitesh Tiwari and many others will be present. Aamir is known to be a perfectionist, and true to his nature, he is thoroughly involved in the planning,” adds the source.

Of course, his entire family, including his ex-wives Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao and his actor-nephew Imran Khan, will be present at the party. While the invites have not been sent out yet, the superstar has apparently informed a few of his close friends to keep themselves free on March 13.

The insider adds, “In the next few days, he plans to personally call his guests and invite them to his big day.”

Rajkumar Hirani’s upcoming web series is special for the filmmaker for more reasons than one. Apart from marking Hirani’s debut in the digital space, the crime-drama series will also serve as the launch pad for his son, Vir. A source from the creative team tells mid-day that the Disney+ Hotstar offering revolves around two cops who come to terms with their distinct working styles.

“Initially, Arshad [Warsi] was to play the role of an old-fashioned cop who likes to solve crimes in his style, while Vikrant [Massey] was set to be seen as a young computer geek who uses technology to solve crimes. It chronicles what transpires when two diverse personalities are brought together to solve crimes. Now, some changes have come into effect. While the six-episode series was to be directed by Hirani’s assistant, Amir Satyaveer Singh, now, Pataal Lok director Avinash Arun has taken his place. Also, because Vikrant is busy with his other commitments, the makers have decided to cast Vir instead.” The 12th Fail (2023) actor has not stepped back from the project, but will now slip into the role of the antagonist.

The decision to cast Vir in the show, tentatively titled Pritam Pedro, did not require several rounds of discussions. He has assisted his father during the shoot of Sanju (2018), and has also studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London. He has directed several short films, including The Obituary, and also debuted in a play called Letters From Suresh, directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.

“Vir had delivered a 35-minute monologue in it,” reveals the source, adding that the aspiring actor will be undergoing intense physical preparation for his role. “He is adhering to a rigorous diet and training schedule to play the part of a fit cop. He is also brushing up on his knowledge of computers. Since he has been involved in the scripting process, he knows each scene of the series like the back of his hand.”

It’s been a decade since Rajkumar Hirani made PK. The director shares that it was only a few weeks ago that Aamir Khan called him and shared that he was shooting in Sambhar – the location where the film’s opening scene was shot and where alien PK landed over 10 years ago.

“Aamir said, ‘I’m here and have so many memories.’ That’s where we shot his nude scene, which became the iconic poster, and Aamir so sportingly did it all. From Sambhar to Jaipur, Delhi, and even Belgium, where we shot with Anushka and Sushant at the time, PK took us to many places. Like every film, I have tons of great memories from this one too,” he says. Now a decade later, the director takes us on a journey to the making of this cinematic hit.

PK had some of the memorable dialogues – ‘Lul ho gayi humri life, humra gola par log jhoot nahi bolat hai, aise tukar tukar ka dekhat ho?’ Initially, since the character lands in Rajasthan, the idea was that he would hold someone’s hand, learn their language, and speak Rajasthani.

Hirani shares, “But at some stage, Aamir said, ‘I’ve always wanted to try Bhojpuri, and it might sound more interesting.’ Then, we assumed that the person whose hand he holds is from Bihar. When Aamir delivered the lines in Bhojpuri instead of Rajasthani, it sounded so much more interesting. So, we decided to go with Bhojpuri.”

Hirani shares, “I’ve always felt that India’s diverse languages and dialects add so much richness to storytelling. Giving PK a dialect instead of plain Hindi brought a lot of colour to the character. It’s like in Munnabhai, Mumbai slang – ‘Watt lag gayi meri’ is so much more fun than saying, ‘Main phans gaya’ or ‘Main mar gaya’.”

Before the release of the film, no one knew what it was about. Hirani recalls, “Certain things, when included in promotions, aren’t always very inviting to watch a film. For example, when we were working on Lage Raho Munna Bhai, the initial title was Munna Bhai Meets Mahatma Gandhi. At some point, I felt that the mention of Mahatma Gandhi might not seem very exciting for an entertaining film. People might not feel compelled to watch it and could even be repelled by the idea. I thought, let’s first bring the audience in. Once they’re in, they’ll understand what we’re trying to say. That’s when we changed the name to Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Similarly, for PK, we didn’t want to reveal upfront that it was a film about God and religion. I decided to let the audience come in first. As a result, there were a lot of speculations: maybe the film was about an alien, or maybe the title PK referred to a drunkard, or perhaps Aamir’s character was a loony. The confusion created curiosity. The way Aamir looked in the trailers made people wonder if he was a drunkard or an alien. I wanted the audience to come in and let the film speak for itself.”

None of Sushant Singh Rajput’s films had been released at the time of PK, but Rajkumar Hirani had seen some footage and decided to cast him. He recalls, “I remember we were shooting with him when his first film was released. We all went to see his first film at that time”

Talking about how Aamir Khan came on board, Rajkumar Hirani shares, “I had kind of narrated the core idea to Aamir. He said, ‘Yes, it’s a great idea, but it’s a difficult script to write. So, if you manage to write it, let me know.’ After a year or so, when the script was finally ready, he was the first person I went to and narrated it to. He loved it and immediately said he wanted to do it.”

At one point in the film, PK says, “Naam kucho nahi hai hamaar, lekin pata nahi kaahe sablog hamka Pk-Pk bulwat hai”. Why? “The film was initially titled Tully,” Hirani reveals, “It felt too slangy, so we decided to call it PK. Wherever Aamir’s character went, people called him PK. He goes to the police station to file a complaint against God, and the policeman asks, ‘Pi ke hai kya?’ Then he goes to a temple and asks for his donation back, and again, someone says, ‘Pi ke aaya hai kya?’ That’s when his character begins to think that his name is PK. The idea was to make him seem drunk because the things he was saying were so absurd.”

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“Boman Irani tested for the role of the godman or guru, but the director felt he somehow didn’t fit the image. So, we tried several actors and came to Saurabh Shukla. Saurabh had that perfect look and was ready to shave his head for the role, which made him even more fitting for the character,” Hirani shared.

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Rajkumar Hirani says, "Reality is far more interesting than fiction. Primarily, the idea behind making PK or any of his films is to entertain people. You don’t go out and say that you want to really put a message."

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Rajkumar Hirani says, "The climax scene of PK reflects exactly that - the reality is, we never know who made us or why we are here. Obviously, there is some larger presence, which you can call anything - God, nature, or some mystery. So, we ended up saying in the film that there are two Gods - one we know nothing about, and the one we created."

For years, after 3 Idiots was released, Rajkumar Hirani would bump into people at various places, and somebody would come up and say, ‘I studied medicine, but I’ve quit and am now learning music.’ Someone else said, ‘I’m becoming a writer.’ That even sometimes would scare him and he would think - ‘I hope they succeed. Otherwise, they’ll come knocking on my door one day saying, 'You taught us the wrong things'.

Rajkumar Hirani, however, admits that the film gave a lot of people the courage to pursue what they wanted to do. He says, "I always tell people there’s a difference between passion and obsession. Sometimes people feel passionate about becoming something - like a music director or an actor - and they think, ‘This is my passion.’ But passion alone isn’t enough. I keep telling them, passion is just a desire to be someone. Obsession is what matters. Are you putting in the effort every single day to hone your skill and craft? If you’re obsessed - if you’re getting up every morning and working towards your goal - then pursue it. That’s when you’ll succeed. Passion without effort won’t take you anywhere."

Rajkumar Hirani says that 3 Idiots is one classic example of a problem that exists in every household. There’s always a rift between parents and children about education. The resonance of this issue is very strong, and every household needs a solution to it. He feels that’s why the film resonated so well with people.

He explains, "Most parents could see, ‘Haan yaar, maybe we’re pushing our kids too much.’A lot of parents used to come to me and admit, ‘Maybe we’re pushing our children too much, and we shouldn’t.’"

3 Idiots origin story is somewhere in Rajkumar Hirani's own life. He says, "When I look back at my own life - when I was in school - I think I was a very, very average student, struggling. Kahan yaar, yeh mujhe trigonometry samjha rahe hain, mujhe samajh nahi aata. Kuch nahi samajh aata tha! I was very average, and then I went to college. I wanted to get into an engineering college, but that never happened. I couldn’t secure admission anywhere. So, I ended up studying commerce. But commerce didn’t interest me. Education, in general, was never interesting for me, you know. Commerce college was just 3-4 hours in the morning, which gave me a lot of time to do theater. I started doing plays - directing, acting, writing - and that gave me immense joy. I realized I was spending hours doing that every day. My dad noticed it too, and he said, 'You know what? This is what you really love. Go do this'. This was a very difficult thing for a parent to say back then, especially in a small town like Nagpur, in a conventional, middle-class family. For him to say, 'Okay, leave my business' - my dad used to sell typewriters - and encourage me to pursue cinema, was unheard of at the time. But he guided me. He said, 'Go to film school. That’s where you can learn. Learn the craft'.”

When he got into the film institute, everything changed for him. He started getting scholarships and excelling at every level because he was enjoying what I was doing. He says, "That’s what we try to convey in the film: don’t push kids to do what they don’t want to do. If you chase something you truly enjoy, you’ll naturally excel at it. And if you excel at it, you’ll succeed. Rather than saying, 'Let’s do an MBA' or 'Let’s do finance because it pays well', but not enjoying it, you won’t excel, and success won’t come. That’s where the idea came from. We ended up coining the phrase - Chase excellence, and success will follow. Don’t chase money, because success doesn’t work like that. The process of writing is a long journey. You spend so much time thinking about the subject, reading about it. These ideas start forming in your head. You think, 'Okay, let’s say this', or 'Let’s put it this way'. It’s a journey where you create all these things."

The character of the professor in 3 Idiots is one of the most memorable characters. But when it was offered to Boman Irani, he didn’t want to take on the role as he had already played the Dean in Munnabhai MBBS.

Hirani recalls, “He said it’ll look like the same. I said, but let’s do it differently. Physicality also will change. I said that you’re bald in that; we’ll give you curly hair in 3 Idiots. You didn’t have a mustache; we’ll give you a mustache. Let’s change your physicality first and do it differently. Boman really worked hard to create the character."

Then Boman thought of some school teacher he used to have who used to dress up in a particular way. So, Boman went and designed his own clothes for the character. He went to a tailor in Dadar and remembered how his professor used to wear his pants up to the chest. He also added a lisp to his character. He had certain people in his mind - his professor, some other people - their mannerisms, the way they walked, and everything.

The three actors who played the 3 Idiots were not Raju Hirani's first choice at all. The first set of people were actually much younger and were all new actors at the time. They had selected three actors and auditioned them separately. But somehow, when they were put together, they were not gelling well. There’s a certain chemistry between people, and somehow that wasn’t happening.

Hirani recalls, "And during that time, I remember Vinod (VVC, the producer of the film) had offered a film to Aamir. And Aamir asked him about the film he was doing. While Vidhu Vinod Chopra told him that the film is not good for Aamir as it was a much younger role, Aamir said, ‘Let me hear the script.’"

Rajkumar Hirani recalls, "So I remember going to Aamir's house, and I read the script to him. His first concern was also, ‘How will I look young? It’s a good script, but how will I look young?’ But somehow, when I met him, I felt Aamir has a very innocent, childlike face. I said, ‘If you can lose all this muscle’ - at that time, he was playing Ghajini and was very broad - ‘then you can look like that.’ We just took a chance. We took a leap of faith. He said, ‘Okay, I'll lose it.’ He lost all the weight and muscle and transformed himself. Then one trick we played was that we decided to cast the other actors a little older. You can’t have Aamir alongside someone who’s nearly 17. So, there’s a kind of suspension of belief that happens. Once you get into the story, you don’t really realize it. With Aamir and all these experienced actors coming in, it became a little easier. It’s always easier to work with experienced people than with newcomers."

Rajkumar Hirani says, "If you look at older films, they often wallow in self-pity. Gaane bhi waise hi hote thay - bahut saare self-pity wale. Usmein hota tha - baap khaas raha hai, maa kitchen mein rehti hai, aur behen ki shaadi nahi ho rahi. It was kind of a spoof on that - ki iska ghar humein black and white filmon ki yaad dilata tha. What we didn’t realize was that it might come across as a little dark, and some people might not like it. I still remember someone walking up to me and saying, 'Aap hamara mazak uda rahe ho'. That’s when it struck me. I said, 'I had never seen it like that', but yes, it could be sensitive to some. The idea was just to add a little dark humour about how Indian cinema was portrayed back then."

"Cinema is a reflection of its time. For example, 1947 ke baad unemployment tha - lead hero unemployed hota tha, gareebi hoti thi, khana nahi hota tha. Then times changed - gold smuggling became a theme. Later, underworld dons entered storylines. Over decades, storylines have evolved."

Talking about the Delhi to Ladakh journey, he says, "It's always the script that drives everything. As I said, I love Delhi in terms of its locations and interesting things, so we wanted to set it in Delhi. From Delhi, we wanted to show a journey where they’ve lost a friend and have to find him. First of all, it felt like, where would a person like Rancho go? He would go to a serene place, cut off from the world, because he went to college just for knowledge, not for degrees. He was there under someone else's name, so he would hide away and do his business quietly - do his research, become a scientist, and run a school. That place seemed like Ladakh. At one point, we had considered a location in Sikkim. We even scouted it. But setting it in Sikkim made the journey from Delhi too long. We would have had to set up the film in Calcutta, and Delhi felt right. So, we took this route: they would start from Delhi, go to Shimla (where he used to work), meet Jaaved Jaaferi’s character in Shimla, and then continue to Ladakh. That seemed like an obvious route to take."

Abhijat used to live in the US, and Rajkumar would go there to write with him. One day, they bumped into a person there who constantly talked about new brands.

He recalls, "Abhijat and I are quite uninterested in the way we dress. Abhijat even had a really old car. This man looked at us and said, 'Aap log aise rehte ho? Kuch brands pehna karo'. He even talked about starter brands. We still laugh about it. He said, "I’ll introduce you to some starter brands'. I asked, 'Yeh starter brands kya hote hain?' Abhijat and I believe that we have one life, so we should make great films, travel, and do what we love. He gave an amazing line - 'You have one life; live it up - try all brands'. That night, we laughed so much, and I decided Kareena’s boyfriend’s character should be the total opposite of Aamir’s Rancho. Rancho doesn’t believe in materialism, so we created a contrasting character whose entire life revolves around brands and prices."

Hirani recalls that hum science se hai scene had 32 takes. He says, "I remember a funny incident, and while we were shooting that scene, Aamir would always laugh during the narrations. Every time we reached the line, 'Hum science ki taraf se hain', he would crack up. On the shoot day, it took 35 takes because after every take, Aamir would laugh, then Madhavan would laugh, and then Sharman would laugh."

--Ranchhoddas Shamaldas Chanchad - Rancho, whose real name was Phunsukh Wangdu - is quite an unusual name. How did they come up with this? He says, "We always wanted to create quirky names so the characters would be remembered, rather than giving them very standard names. It was Abhijat Joshi who came up with this name."