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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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