Om Raut, best known for Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, is likely to come on board to helm an upcoming actioner featuring Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal. The project, backed by Bhushan Kumar, is in the early stages of development. A source close to the production reveals that Raut has already pitched a script to the actors. “He has pitched a script and they are currently jamming over it. It is at a nascent stage,” the source states.

Interestingly, Milap Zaveri was earlier rumoured to be directing the venture. However, he has since been announced as the director of another film with the same production house, starring Harshvardhan Rane.

“The story by Om is completely different. He has not stepped into Milap’s shoes. If everything goes well, the film will go on floors this year,” the source adds. This will mark Bhushan and Om's reunion post the debacle of Adipurush.

Earlier while talking about Adipurush's performance at the box office, Om in an interview said, “Our first day was Rs. 70 crore, and that’s just in India. Our total box office was over Rs. 400 crore. So, the numbers were very large… With Adipurush, there was a loss of perception, not a loss of revenue. If the perception was positive, if the perception was under control, we would’ve seen an exorbitant number, which we did not see. That was disappointing.”

Actor Tiger Shroff’s recent work includes big-budget action films such as Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024) and appearances in projects like Singham Again (2024), continuing his image as one of Bollywood’s most prominent action stars, though some of his recent films have struggled critically and commercially.

Meanwhile, martial-arts specialist Vidyut Jammwal was last seen headlining the sports-action film Crakk: Jeetegaa… Toh Jiyegaa (2024) and also appeared as an antagonist in the Tamil film Madharaasi (2025), maintaining his reputation for physically demanding action roles. Filmmaker Om Raut, on the other hand, last directed the mythological epic Adipurush (2023), starring Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan, a high-budget adaptation inspired by the Ramayana that generated massive buzz but received mixed to negative responses.

Until mid-January, director Milap Zaveri and producer Bhushan Kumar were going full throttle on their next, an intense action drama with Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal. But things have a way of changing overnight in the film industry. Now, it is heard that Zaveri and the T-Series head honcho will start another project, which will see the director reuniting with his Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat (2025) actor Harshvardhan Rane.

mid-day has learnt that Anil Kapoor is in talks to play a pivotal role in the yet-untitled movie that is expected to roll this month.

A trade source revealed, “The makers are in the final stage of discussion with Anil. Milap will direct the actor for the first time.” What of the Shroff and Jammwal-starrer then? Apparently, the actors had started training for the actioner.

The source indicated that creative differences led to the film being put on the backburner. “Milap chose to do Harshvardhan’s movie over the other as too many creative differences were creeping in. It can happen when you cast two action heroes, but they shouldn’t interfere in the script. That said, it was an amicable parting. There was also a date clash as the makers wanted to begin the Harshvardhan movie in February, and no way would the Vidyut-Tiger film be complete by then.”

Vidyut Jammwal’s sports action film, Crakk: Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa, tanked at the box office when it was released in theatres in February this year. Now that the film has dropped on OTT, viewers have noticed something very unusual. The makers changed the climax scene of the film for the web release. 

An entire 15-minute chunk, including an unforeseen twist, has been chopped off. This has led to not only a reduced runtime but also a change in the film’s ending from the theatrical version.

Director Aditya Datt asserts that the team collectively made the call to chop the climax, considering the Crakk’s poor box office performance. “We all sat together and re-analyzed the film’s performance to make it sharper. It doesn’t happen with all films, but you can narrate movies in different formats across platforms,” explains Datt.

In fact, Abbas Sayyed, co-producer of the film, says he was never in favour of the longer version, and it was a “creative call” to tweak the ending for digital release.

“[Now] the film ends when Vidyut and (actor) Arjun Rampal’s fight finishes. Even in the theatrical version, we didn’t want the additional parts of Vidyut jumping from the flight and the song. The audience doesn’t want extra masala for no reason.”

Ask if the runtime of the film was a major point of discussion during the second edit, and Datt says it didn’t matter because no set formula can justify a film’s runtime. “We often see that a 1.5-hour film doesn’t work, while a three-hour-long movie clicks with the audience, like Animal (2023) did. The idea behind sharpening Crakk was purely to address the response from viewers that the film was slow. And when the audience doesn’t connect, you do feel disappointed. You want to re-analyze so you do better next time,” he states.

When we sit to chat with Arjun Rampal about his latest release, Crakk—Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa, his opening line to us is, “If it wasn’t hard, I wouldn’t have done it.” The actor recalls that during the first narration, he realised that the film carries the vision of a “pretty crazy guy”. With his second production, actor-producer Vidyut Jammwal belts out an extreme sports movie that revolves around an underground sports competition spearheaded by the antagonist, essayed by Rampal.

“I have been in the industry for many years, and this was the first time I walked on the set and didn’t know anyone. I was opposite this beast called Vidyut. He knows how to push the envelope with action. Every day I walked on the set, someone was somersaulting, another jumping out of a window, or cycling on a pole. I was surrounded by these awesome athletes and I had the tough job of doing it better than them,” he shares.

Aditya Datt’s directorial venture, also starring Amy Jackson and Nora Fatehi, places action front and centre. Pulling it off couldn’t have been a cakewalk for the 51-year-old. Point out that age is a crucial factor in fitness, and Rampal says he walked in ready to learn.

“You can’t give up on a great experience and great role. From rappelling to slacklining, I learnt each of these disciplines from the best in the business. As an actor, I had the grasping power to pick up new skills. Aditya and I went to Goa for 10 days, and worked on my character graph, philosophy and action sequences. Now, when I get scripts, I look at how it’s going to make me feel uncomfortable. I want to evoke conversations with my work; I want my work to get more than just praise.”

An important part of the film was the chemistry between Rampal and Jammwal’s characters, who are pitted against each other. “They go head-on against each other. It becomes interesting only when there are no egos involved. You cast aside your ego first. Your whims, stardom, everything has to go from your system. Vidyut and I got our creative levels to the highest, and felt for the story and characters.”

Action is at the heart of Vidyut Jammwal’s films. But with Crakk—Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa, the actor-producer saw an opportunity to introduce the Indian audience to an extreme sports action movie. For an industry that is quite prolific, one wonders why Bollywood hasn’t attempted the genre before.

Jammwal reasons, “Not everyone can pull this off. Such a movie requires serious training. Across the globe, the genre of action gets so much love and respect. In India, it’s catching on.”

Aditya Datt’s directorial venture revolves around an underground extreme sports competition where the last man standing walks away with the prize money. Casting for a heavy-duty action fare is not easy. But the actor says he got lucky with Arjun Rampal, Nora Fatehi and Amy Jackson.

“When you do a film like this, everyone around also has to be in sync with you physically to make the stunt interesting. Arjun had to train extensively. In a sequence, Arjun and I have done rappelling, and it took us months to get it right. Similarly, Nora had to train in rollerblading. I did rollerblading in London with experts. We all trained for months.”

If intense prep is one side of the coin, the other side is safety measures. As an actor-producer, Jammwal asserts that safety was his top priority. “[When performing stunts], you get professionals; they know how to be safe. Before every stunt, I am scared out of my mind. You have to analyse the risks, and calculate everything that can go wrong. Fear is a great friend to have on an action film. You will die if you aren’t scared. Fear is a partner that you keep beside you, and then surpass it.”

Crakk marks the actor’s second production after IB 71 (2023). He says the key to being a good producer is to think like the audience. “I want to tell stories that [captivate] my mind. In Crakk, Arjun and I have a cycling competition. When we wrote the scene, it felt regular. But on the set, [it turned out way better]. So, at every step, the idea was to up the ante and constantly ask ourselves, ‘What would the audience like?’”

Crakk: Jeetegaa To Jiyegaa marks the second production venture from Vidyut Jammwal’s stable, and considering that the offering is expected to play to his strength, Jammwal and director Aditya Datt are leaving no stone unturned to make the offering a cinematic delight for fans of actioners.

Strategically on-boarding a team of five action choreographers from Spain, South Africa, Italy, and Germany, the team plans to showcase a spate of action sequences involving slacklining, BMX cycling, rollerblading, and hand-to-hand combat, among others.

Datt wanted to ascertain that he packed in a punch in each frame. “I write my action sequences in detail, including the emotions I want the scenes to convey. In an extreme sports action drama, this becomes all the more crucial. Stunts have the danger of becoming boring, after a point. So, storytelling is important.”

Chronicling the skills of the stunt directors he has roped in, Datt shares, “Federico Cueva from Spain shot a lot of the cycling portions of the film. His last work was Jennifer Lopez’s The Mother, and some of what he has shot is exquisite. Kerry Gregg from South Africa has crafted some flawless car stunts. He was the stunt director on Outlander and has worked on Jackie Chan’s films. Then we had Cyrill Raffaeli. His grasp on parkour is good, and he monitored the flipping, running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, plyometrics, rolling, and quadrupedal movement in the film. Dawid Szatarski from Germany is great with roller blades and action choreography. He has worked on Commando 3, and has done some memorable work in The Kingsman and Black Widow. Finally, Dr K Ravi Varma from Bangalore is someone I trust. I believe he is the best action director in our industry.”

Datt says that as the film’s director, it is on him to appropriately gauge the strength of his action choreographers, and enable them to bring their best foot forward. “With the years of experience they have behind them in dealing with danger, they know how to orchestrate scenes safely and with precision.”

In April, as Vidyut Jammwal was readying for the release of his maiden production IB 71, the actor-turned-producer had told mid-day that he wanted to bring changes not only on screen, but also off it (When I played a baddie, they said my career is over, April 27). It looks like he is staying true to his word.

As he begins work on his yet-untitled next in Mumbai, we hear Jammwal has set ground rules for day-to-day functioning on projects backed by Action Hero Films. The objective is to make the workplace gender-inclusive and safe for women.

Before the project went on floors, the actor apparently ensured that the set had various facilities catering to women’s needs. This included the provision of nursing rooms to support new mothers, and clean and separate bathrooms that are equipped with menstrual hygiene items. More importantly, he has laid emphasis on having a zero-tolerance policy against misconduct and harassment of any kind.

Juhi Talmaki, who is an art director on the film, says that the actor has appointed his business manager Alifiyah Haji to look after the well-being and safety of the female crew members.

Talmaki shares, “Vidyut has established open lines of communication in his production house. Alifiyah engages in constant conversations with us, creating an environment where we will feel comfortable approaching Vidyut in case of any untoward incidents or concerns. By actively engaging in dialogue and being accessible, he wanted to ensure that the women on set felt empowered and supported.”

In 2021, when Vidyut Jammwal announced turning producer with IB 71, he had said that the film would be based on an episode from the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Two years on, a look at the trailer tells you that Sankalp Reddy’s directorial venture offers a retelling of the 1971 Indian Airlines hijack. “It was a pivotal moment in Indian history, but not many people knew about it,” says Reddy.

The 1971 incident, also referred to as the Ganga hijack, has been a contentious topic between the two countries. On January 30, 1971, Hashim Qureshi and Ashraf Qureshi — two Kashmiri separatists allegedly belonging to the National Liberation Front (NLF) — hijacked a Fokker F27 named Ganga that was flying from Srinagar and diverted it to Lahore airport. The two then demanded the release of 36 members of the NLF from Indian custody, and a meeting with Pakistani minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in lieu of the abducted passengers.

While the Indian government refused to comply, the All India Radio reportedly made a broadcast stating that Pakistan was behind the hijack. After Hashim and Ashraf’s meeting with Bhutto and amid rising international pressure, all passengers were sent back to India.

Reddy’s spy thriller, also starring Anupam Kher and Vishal Jethwa, focuses on a lesser-known aspect of the episode. The film depicts how Rameshwar Nath Kao, the then-chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), had knowledge of the impending hijacking since early January of 1971. He devised a master plan and used the hijack to strengthen Indian government’s claims of Pakistan’s ill intentions.

After the hijack, the government banned all Pakistan International Airlines flights from its airspace. This, in turn, had a significant impact on troop movement into East Pakistan and gave India an upper hand in the Bangladesh Liberation War in December that year.

Reddy says year-long research went into putting the story together. Since it was a covert operation, he admits that sourcing information was a daunting task.

“Many details about the intelligence agency’s strategy were kept under wraps. Only a handful of people knew of the incident, and even fewer were willing to talk about it. It was important to portray the events accurately. Through meticulous research, we created a film that does justice to the bravery of our agents.” 

Jammwal adds, “IB 71 talks about people who sacrifice everything for the nation.”

Going from the on-screen henchman to the villain to the leading man, it has been quite a ride at the movies for Vidyut Jammwal. Through it all, he has sworn by one mantra — “don’t listen to anyone.” 

“When I played the bad guy in my Hindi debut in Force [2011], everybody said my career is over, that I won’t be able to become a hero. But I didn’t listen to anyone, and did what I wanted to,” he begins.

It is this self-belief that the actor is sticking to as he takes on the new role of a producer with IB71. Directed by Sankalp Reddy, the film tells how the Intelligence Bureau gave India an advantage in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Hailing from an army background, Jammwal says the story’s importance was not lost on him.

“I knew about this story, but somehow no one would talk about it. Now that the government has allowed us to tell this story, I thought we should go ahead.”

In Reddy, he found a “crazy, brilliant mind” sharing his enthusiasm for the story. Jammwal says his motivation to launch his production house was to collaborate with such exciting minds. “I wanted to work with people I truly admire, people who aren’t in the ‘circuit’ yet.”

He credits the director’s research that ensured the film steered clear of jingoism. “We wanted to be authentic. For instance, people think that army officers are strict. But that’s not true. My father, who has been in the army, is gentle, as are most of them. Also, whenever we talk about the enemy, we think they are dumb or weak. That’s not the truth. The Pakistani Army is very intelligent. My army upbringing makes me see the opponent as intelligent, but we have to be smarter.”

As a new producer, Jammwal is trying to bring change not only on screen, but also off it. “On film sets, I usually see the actors and director sitting at a separate table, while other crew members are seated away from them. I don’t like that. On my set, I made sure there is no hierarchy, that we have the best food possible and the crew is taken care of.”

Casting for a film inspired by real-life events is tricky as one has to be authentic to the story. Director Sankalp Reddy was aware of the challenges as he began work on IB 71, a spy thriller that is centred on the Indian Intelligence Bureau’s secret mission that gave the Indian Army the required edge during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. He says that luckily, actor-producer Vidyut Jammwal was the perfect fit for the role given his Indian Army background.

“Vidyut brought the script to me and said, ‘I want to do this.’ When I read it, I immediately knew that Vidyut, who comes from an army background, was the right fit for the role. Only he could do justice to a part that is steeped in patriotism. He embodies the grit and determination of the character,” says Reddy, who previously helmed Ghazi (2017).

The upcoming release also stars Anupam Kher and Vishal Jethwa. Reddy notes that the ensemble cast needed to bring emotional depth to their parts. “Anupam ji brings so much gravitas to his performances. Vishal has an arresting screen presence that we were blown away by.”

Five hundred and thirty-four — that’s how many films Anupam Kher has done in his career. And the actor is in no mood to stop, having recently announced his 535th film: a Kannada project titled Ghost with actor Ravi Teja.

While at it, he also shoots down the notion that actors stop bagging meaty roles after a certain age. “Fantastic things are happening. We have young writers writing stories for people who are above 60. Recently, I did a film called The Signature. It is a love story by Gajendra Ahire, a Marathi director. I have signed one-two more films. I have done one with (actor) Vidyut Jammwal. Then there’s (late actor-filmmaker) Satish Kaushik’s Kaagaz 2 and Emergency. I am challenging myself in different ways,” the actor says.

The 68-year-old emphasizes on stories revolving around people of his age group, and not being neglected. “New scripts are written, and they are coming from 30-year-old writers. Today, Indian cinema is not dependent on a certain kind of hero. I recently got a Best Actor award!” says Kher.

This zest also reflects in his dedication towards fitness. His social media often features visuals of him working out and taking swimming lessons. It is also because so many senior actors are competing for the same role, says Kher. “[There is] all the more reason for us to be physically fit. When people are casting you for films, and when they see the person trying to be physically fit, it gives them courage not only because [you] are a good actor, but have a hunger. I am hungry — I will never say, ‘Bahut kaam kar liya, ab nahin’. This is the best field, there’s no syllabus here. There’s always something new happening,” explains the actor.

Actor Vidyut Jammwal and fashion designer Nandita Mahtani, who were apparently planning to get married this year, are not together anymore, suggest reports. Their breakup was also apparent when Jammwal, 42, and Mahtani, 51, reportedly arrived at actor Ananya Panday’s cousin, Alanna Panday’s wedding separately and maintained a distance from each other. Jammwal’s reclusive nature reportedly led to the breakup.

In 2021, the Khuda Haafiz (2020) actor posted a picture with Mahtani in front of the Taj Mahal in Agra (Uttar Pradesh). While the ring on her finger led to murmurs about their engagement, they never admitted to being in a relationship. While Jammwal has been linked with actor Mona Singh in the past, Mahtani was linked with multiple Bollywood celebs, including actors Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor.

Despite repeated attempts, Jammwal and Mahtani didn’t respond to our calls and texts.

In 2002, Vipul Amrutlal Shah made his directorial debut with Aankhen. The Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal and Paresh Rawal-starrer, which revolved around a bank heist pulled off by three visually-impaired men, became a box-office hit. Over 20 years since, the filmmaker is gearing up for another bank heist thriller.

“After Aankhen, I had been looking for a suitable [story] to make a film on this idea. I have finally been able to crack the story,” says Shah.

While the 2002 thriller, at its centre, had a disgruntled employee avenging a bank for firing him, the new yet-untitled movie will have a twist, promises the director. Shah, who is currently working on the screenplay, refuses to divulge further details, stating,

“Let me come back with a proper announcement when it is all set. Right now, I’m in discussion with actors.” If things go as per plan, he will finalize the cast by early next year and take the film on floors by April 2023.

Until then, he is helming the Commando web series for Disney+ Hotstar. Considering the film franchise has become synonymous with Vidyut Jammwal, what made him hit pause on it, and take the OTT route?

“Hollywood does it, time and again. Tom Cruise plays Jack Reacher in the film series, but another actor essays the character in the OTT space. Ditto Jack Ryan. Commando is our attempt in exploring [a spin-off] idea,” shares the filmmaker.

While Jammwal will continue to be the big-screen Commando, a new actor will be introduced in the OTT version. Won’t it be tough for the newbie to match the action standards set by Jammwal? “Vidyut is exceptional [in action]. For the web series, we wanted an actor with a new style of action. After going through over 2,000 audition tapes, we found someone who [fit the bill]. We’ve written the series differently from the film. Both Commandos can co-exist, and come together at a later date.”

Since the start of his career, Vidyut Jammwal has been synonymous with Commando, an action franchise that has spawned three instalments since its inception in 2013. Rumours, however, suggest that the actor is not a part of the latest Commando offering, which went on floors last Thursday in Mumbai.

A little digging revealed that the project is apparently being designed as an OTT offering. A source says, “The idea is to create a web series that will run parallel to the existing Commando films. So, the makers will bring in other heroes besides the current protagonist Karanveer Singh Dogra, essayed by Vidyut. They intend to build a Commando universe of sorts, along the lines of how filmmaker Rohit Shetty built a cop universe with his movies. The team is in talks with action heroes to play the lead in the series. Simultaneously, they kicked off the shoot last week, filming some crowd scenes.”

It is heard that the shoot with the leads will begin next week.

mid-day texted producer Vipul Shah, who remained unavailable till press time.

Actor Anupam Kher believes in pushing his limits, whether it’s for his powerful performances or physical transformation, which has earned a lot of attention of late. “Unless you make yourself uncomfortable, how will you inspire yourself and others? Age is just a number. Today, everything is possible; you just need to discipline yourself and stay focused. So, I decided to work on my fitness. My competition is not with the people of my age, it’s with the youngsters,” says the 67-year-old.

The actor, last seen in The Kashmir Files, continues, “I remember when my father retired at the age of 58, he had retirement depression for three years. Thankfully, we are in a profession where we don’t retire. I have a long inning to play and for that, I need to stay fit.”

Kher, who is shooting for his upcoming films — The Signature and Kaagaz 2 — in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), says that he’s just reached mid-way in his acting career. “I started at 28 and played a 65-year-old man’s role. Now that I am in my mid-60s, I feel I’ve just reached the interval of my career. I still have 20-25 years of work [left], if all goes well with my health and memory. That’s the joy of being in this profession,” he says.

Besides working on his fitness, Kher has also been trying to take on roles that challenge him as an actor. He feels that one needs to make their job difficult so that the results are better. He shares, “Having done so much work, I have understood what the nuances of acting can be. Now, I am only choosing those projects that I want to do. I completed (filmmaker) Sooraj Barjatya’s Unnchai with Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan (actor) and Boman (Irani; actor), wrapped up (director) Sankalp Reddy’s IB 71 with (actor) Vidyut Jammwal, completed a Tamil film and now I am working on two Hindi films.”

As a director, who enjoys a peaceful, slow process of writing films, Faruk Kabir barely had the time to create a new world for Khuda Haafiz, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. In a conversation, the filmmaker takes us through the journey of the emotional-action drama starring Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi as a couple searching for their missing daughter. Excerpts from our chat:

I wrote this film over a span of 10 months, and even during that process, I had offers from other very senior producers to direct content for them. However, for me, this movie was extremely important. Writing is not a simple job, and I cannot hire someone else to do it for me.

I respect and nurture the writing process. It is a scary process; it’s like walking on eggshells, you can go overboard and lose track of things. You have to cut out the noise. With every passing piece, you have to strive to get better. With a sequel, a story has to move forward. It can’t be a mere extension of the previous film.

I could see the germ of part two when I was working on Khuda Haafiz, but I’m not one of those vain people to start imagining a sequel before the first film has even reached its audience. In my mind, I always wanted to know what happens when they return to India, how their love story shapes up with all the baggage that they’re carrying — the fact that she was pushed into the flesh trade and that they had to endure extreme situations to get back together and so on. Two years ago, I wanted to know how society reacts to them, whether they find acceptance, their pressures and their own sense of intimacy towards each other. I created the rest of it when Kumar Mangat ji told me that we were making part two.

For starters, it’s a deeper and more intense story than part one, which is mildly evident in the trailer of the film. There are more layers to the character that Vidyut and Shivaleeka are playing. They have also done a lot to get back into the spaces of their characters. This is a film they had to come prepared for on the set. They had to understand the text and the subtext, why they’re saying certain things and how they’re saying it. The idea has always been to create a plausible reality. The material is relatable and something that is meant for Indians to watch. Women should see it for sure. The relationship between the husband and the wife and even adoption and mental health are strong themes in the film. I would call this an emotional, family, action-drama where the trigger for the action is emotions.

Today, the industry is still trying to understand the manner in which the audience has been reacting to films. I agree that the audience is different, and it is a challenging thought to work on. Yes, it has crossed my mind several times — would a larger audience, or the same audience that saw part one in their homes, go to the theatres for the second part. I believe in the energy of this film, in Vidyut and the power of the sheer word-of-mouth that can create magic. Once some important people sample the content, and it resonates with them, word will catch on. I am banking on Vidyut, the emotions that trigger the action and the good sense of the audience that loves performances and a great story presented at the right scale. From what I have observed, good content has to be backed by the correct scale. Theatres are up and running after two years, and the cinematic experience has to be far more pronounced than the pre-pandemic standards. Today, there is no pundit who can predict whether something will work 100 per cent, but Vidyut and I are confident that anyone who decides to watch the film will come back liking it. We have this faith; we’re not overconfident.

Vidyut shows a lot of love and trust, and I value it. When an actor and a director become friends, some people want that partnership, that bond to break. We know of it and we exchange notes all the time. There is no reason why we became friends. My father passed away a few days before we went to shoot in Uzbekistan, and he took such good care of me during that time. We have a very natural and organic friendship, which has no professional bindings. I have to hand it to Vidyut for also leading from the front when it came to avoiding distractions while shooting for the film. He was disciplined, focussed and away from all the chatter... not even phone calls during those 12 hours on the set!

If it has to happen, it definitely won’t happen as soon as this one. It will take some time. I now intend to focus on some other stories that I have been working on. There’s one that Suriya sir (South actor) has liked. There’s another one that is a contemporary resonance that I intend to direct, and of course, I would love to continue working with Vidyut.

When writer-director Faruk Kabir shot the climax of Khuda Haafiz (2020) that saw Vidyut Jammwal’s character rescue his wife who was abducted and forced into human trafficking, he knew that the love story between the lead characters was only beginning. Soon after the film’s release, the director sat down to write Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. “That incident changed them. The wife was raped, and had unimaginable trauma. Vidyut’s character doesn’t know how to reach out to her. Their relationship can’t be normal. I knew that could be the starting point of this story,” recounts Kabir.

What followed was 10 months of rigorous writing, as he gave Sameer and Nargis — essayed by Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi respectively — a new journey. The latest release sees the couple put the ghosts of the past behind them and begin anew as they adopt a daughter. It took the filmmaker a while to zero in on the right story for the sequel.

“As an artiste, you can’t plateau while making a sequel. You should be telling a better and more sensitive story. I needed to nurture the story. I am confident that women will like this film.”

In Jammwal, Kabir says he has found the perfect leading man and a friend. He reveals that the actor was not the first choice for Khuda Haafiz. “The film chose him,” he smiles, before adding, “I had started the first film with a different actor. We shot for a few days, and it didn’t work out. I came back home and told my mother, ‘This isn’t meant to be.’ Then Vidyut came along, and I understood how this movie was meant to be with him.”

He credits the actor for bringing the character alive on screen. “He doesn’t speak much in the film, but he has internalized [the pain]. Vidyut and I spoke about personal things to dig [into the nuances] of relationships. He understands quickly and adds the right nuances. People will see a tectonic shift in him. I realized this during the shoot of an emotional scene, when he fainted after completing it.”

He has won acclaim as an action hero not just in Bollywood, but globally. Someone who grew up training in martial arts, Vidyut Jammwal indeed has flaunted his mastery in this sphere many times over. While he has entertained the audience with high-octane stunts in his earlier films, in his next film, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, he promises that he’s going to move the viewers emotionally, too. In a conversation with BT, Vidyut talks about how he continues to push the envelope in the action genre, why he decided to turn producer and giving a chance to new talent. Excerpts:

Khuda Haafiz saw a happy ending with the protagonist rescuing his kidnapped wife from the fresh traders and bringing her back. One fine evening, Faruk (Kabir, director), who was in touch with the couple, told me that it isn’t as easy as it looks for them. The woman, who went through a tough time after being kidnapped, continues to battle trauma as she struggles to lead a normal life here.

Some people judge her. So, she ends up switching her job constantly. Her husband, too, is facing trying times as he is also judged. Faruk told me that the couple is indeed going through an agni pariksha where people have sympathy for them, but they are not letting them be. He asked me, ‘Why don’t we make a story about what really happens after a happy ending?’

From action to emotions, I have taken everything a notch higher in this project. Everything that I have learnt in the last 11 years, I have put it all to use in the movie. Not only acting, but I also invested my interests in other departments of filmmaking. Along with the team, I shared my thoughts on the music for the film. I have always loved Sufi music and we have three amazing Sufi songs in this film. I have also choreographed action stunts in this film.

I have been training in mixed martial arts for many years, and I am constantly thinking about new situations and moves that I could include in my films. I am just trained for it. This thought process is always on. The one thing I cannot imagine is getting hit by someone. In fact, when Faruk first came to me for Khuda Haafiz, I could not relate to the character as he is someone who gets hit. I am someone who can’t get hit in real life and even in reel life. But then, the way he narrated the story and the emotional angle, it made me think ki chalo screen pe maar kha hi lete hai (laughs!).

My number one motive is to work with the talented bunch of people who I have come across in the last 11 years. There are a few who are talented and still waiting for an opportunity. I want to be a part of their journey. Jahan talent dikhega mujhe, mujhe unke saath kaam karna hai. The first project I am making is IB 71. I am collaborating with Sankalp Reddy (director), whose work I have watched before. A few people told me that he’s arrogant, but I wanted to form my own opinion and reached out to him. I realized that he isn’t arrogant, but quiet and keeps to himself. I just want to work with such people, who I genuinely believe in, even if nobody else does. As an actor, when I started off, I worked towards finding my tribe. You need to find your tribe. It takes a while. It isn’t too difficult an industry to be in. People talk about these never-ending struggle stories… haan, thoda samay lagta hai to find people who believe in you. So, Faruk and all the people that I have collaborated with in the last 11 years are a part of my tribe. I don’t know if I am getting my due in Bollywood, but whatever I am getting here is all on my own.

I am one of the top martial artists in the world. I represent our country internationally. Ab achanak one day I can’t get up and take a plunge into something else na. I have changed the way India sees action as a genre. Before me, and I say it with great pride, there was nobody who would do real action… everybody was using harnesses, stunt doubles etc. I have raised the bar, and today there are actors who want to match that and be a part of the action genre. I am happy that India is churning out great action movies. Talking about doing something different, Khuda Haafiz gave me that opportunity to go beyond as the role is high on emotion too. I don’t see myself following a pattern for sure. My formula is simple, you find talent and you work with them. They don’t necessarily have to be the ones who are the biggest in the industry today.

Shivaleeka Oberoi is glad that so early in her career she has been able to play the complex part of Nargis Chaudhary in the Khuda Haafiz franchise. The actress who stars opposite Vidyut Jammwal is excited that Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha will release in theatres this Friday. In a chat with Bombay Times, she opens up about her film choices, recollects her days working as an assistant director and why her family wasn’t too keen on her pursuing a career in Bollywood. Excerpts:

Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 Agni Pariksha will showcase a new side of Nargis. In the previous part, people saw a girl-next-door who had to face difficult situations. Those situations changed her as a person. Now, you get to see Nargis 2. 0. This time around she is a warrior. It’s quite an intense role and it has been physically and mentally exhausting for me to play Nargis on screen.

It isn’t an easy character to play. You have to balance out her innocence with her strength, especially given the fact that she dealt with so much. It has changed me as a person in a lot of ways. It has really pushed me as an actor. I play a mother in the film, which is something that a lot of actresses refrain from doing at the beginning of their career. I wasn’t worried about it because it did justice to my character. Shooting with a child artiste is not easy as you have to make them feel comfortable. Also, my sister has twins and I have enjoyed being around them.

I am happy that challenging roles in content-driven films have come my way, now I am waiting for something massy and commercial to come my way. I want to do a romantic comedy, or a mushy romantic film. I am glad that at the start of my career I got moulded by people like Faruk Kabir sir and Vidyut Jammwal. During my stint as an assistant director, I got to learn so much from Salman Khan sir and Akshay Kumar sir. In fact, recently when I met them, they met me like we have known each other for years. I worked hard as an AD too. People think jo actors banne aate hai, woh as AD set pe kuch bhi kaam nahi karte. But that’s not true. I used to give the clap, call the actors when the set was ready and make call sheets. I learnt a lot about facing the camera, how lighting works on set and more

such details.

On the contrary, because of that, my family did not want me to pursue a career in showbiz. I could never meet my grandfather. My father was 16 years old when my grandfather passed away. My grandfather had produced just one film Sheba And Hercules (1967) and passed away while working on his second production. My father has seen my grandfather struggle as a producer. He has seen the kind of stress one goes through and the unpredictable nature of this business. My father was never into movies. My mother comes from an academic background and she wanted me to focus on my studies. My sister studied law and I was studying fashion design. There was an acting school close by and I wanted to join that out of curiosity. I convinced my mother to allow me to train as an actor and also started doing auditions. My mother gave me a window of two years to get a job as an actor, if I couldn’t do that I was supposed to pursue my masters. Luckily, things worked out for me, and here I am today.

Vidyut Jammwal has built a career on high-octane actioners, but with the Khuda Haafiz franchise, he is backing a story with an emotional core. For Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, the actor admits he surrendered to director Faruk Kabir’s vision.

“I am more than just an action hero. I was launched [as a leading man] with Commando [2013]. When I came to the industry, I knew that no one could bring the kind of action I can, to the table. I can be a one-man army. But Junglee [2019] changed me. It opened me up emotionally and taught me how vulnerability is precious,” he says.

The lessons learnt from Junglee made him choose Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, which revolves around a father in search of his daughter who has been abducted. Such is his faith in the story that Jammwal has turned distributor with the project. Point out that the film is coming at a time when the market is uncertain, and his faith is unflinching.

“Someone had to punt on me, so why not me? There was no planning. I want to put all I have in my movie. If nobody else believes in me, I will. It’s time to test the audience’s love for me. Every time I go somewhere, I am told that I can achieve more. [Now,] I want people to prove the love that they proclaim [for me] on Twitter. [I want them] to watch the movie in a theatre. I have been sincere as an artiste, and it’s time fans show that action speaks louder than words. When that happens, people will believe that a boy from nowhere can make it in the industry.”

Success, however, doesn’t imply box-office numbers for him. To the actor, success comes from being happy. “I have created a tribe that stands by me. Faruk is part of my tribe. I was raised in an army environment. So, my thinking is such that if a film doesn’t work, I don’t step back. I will continue to do my best. Similarly, if a film does well, I don’t get attached to the outcome.”