Have you heard? Collaboration plans

Hrithik Roshan

Talk in tinsel town is that Hrithik Roshan is planning his next movie. The superstar, who was last seen as an Indian Air Force pilot in Fighter earlier this year, is currently working on War 2. The upcoming thriller from YRF spy universe is helmed by Ayan Mukerji and also stars Junior NTR and Kiara Advani. Now, it is being said that Duggu is in talks with Kabir Khan for a thriller set in the post-apocalyptic period. Though the project is still in the early stages of discussion, sources claim that the actor and filmmaker have met multiple times over the past few months. Hrithik is known to spend time getting familiar with his directors before committing to projects with them. Apparently, the Chandu Champion director and he are bonding, and hope to team up soon. The superstar also has filmmaker-father Rakesh Roshan's Krrish 4 lined up.

Date problem

Anil Kapoor recently addressed his absence from the sequels of two of his big hits. He reportedly opted out of Welcome to the Jungle due to monetary disagreements, and No Entry Mein Entry features a younger cast comprising Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh. While he didn't name the movies, Anil said, "Recently, I was replaced in two films. Now, what is the reason I don't know. But these things happen. We are just doing our jobs with sincerity and honesty. That's what life is." For now, he is replacing Salman Khan as the host of Bigg Boss OTT 3.

No censor woes

Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan-starrer Kalki 2898 AD has cleared the censor hurdle. The Hyderabad office of the Central Board of Film Certification passed the Telugu version of Nag Ashwin's directorial venture with a U/A rating. While the Examining Committee (EC) didn't ask for any major cuts, it recommended that the makers add a disclaimer at the start of the dystopian thriller with a voiceover stating that the story is fictional. The makers were also told to state that they have taken cinematic liberties and don't intend to hurt any religious sentiments. The EC also asked the makers to add the mention of ‘2898 AD' with the original text ‘6000 years after Mahabharata', and mute the word ‘Veedi' while referring to Kaal Bhairava. Interestingly, Kalki 2898 AD is Prabhas' longest film with a three-hour-one-minute runtime, surpassing Adipurush (2023), which was two hours and 59 minutes long.

Gloves on

Even as Pavail Gulati is working on Deva, he has begun prep for his next film. "I'm prepping to play a boxer in a film that goes on floors at the end of this year. So, I need plenty of time to prepare," says the actor. Pointing out that there haven't been too many action movies in India with boxing at the core, Pavail adds, "We have seen MMA [mixed martial arts], Muay Thai become popular. Plus, as a sport too, boxing is gaining a lot of fandom here. This film is a story of an individual navigating this sport, and his life. I'm excited, it's a triumphant story. Hence, I am making the most of my time to being fit, training and polishing my sparring skills to be authentic when we begin shooting."

Sanjays to reunite, finally

Almost 17 years since Dus Kahaniyaan (2007), it appears that Sanjay Dutt and Sanjay Gupta are set to team up again. Though the actor and the filmmaker had patched up after a falling-out, Gupta had suggested they keep their friendship intact and not work together. However, now that a lot of water has passed under the bridge, Gupta and his once-frequent collaborator are planning a film together. While the buzz about their reunion was first heard about two years ago, things are finally materialising. The filmmaker reportedly shared that they have locked the script and are now working out the logistics. Gupta and Dutt's friendship began when the actor was shooting for Thaanedaar (1990). They joined forces for nine films, starting with Gupta's directorial debut, Aatish (1994).

Batting for global reach

Veteran filmmaker Ketan Mehta made valid points on the evolution of animation during a panel discussion at the 18th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) yesterday. "When you're creating specifically for the domestic market, it has very little resonance outside the country and that is the vicious circle we are caught in." Addressing the limitations he has observed, the filmmaker added, "We haven't cultivated a global mindset and we haven't triggered a global ambition. Creatively, there is nothing wrong with us. We are the most creative civilisation the world has seen."

Shaitaan bana sasur!

It is known that after the success of Shaitaan earlier this year, Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan are teaming up again in De De Pyaar De 2 (DDPD2). While Maddy essayed the antagonist to Ajay's doting daddy in the horror thriller, their characters in the new romcom will have a funny twist. It is being said that Madhavan will play leading lady Rakul Preet Singh's on-screen father. The film takes off from the 2019 hit, DDPD, revolving around a 50-year-old divorced businessman's romance with a 26-year-old woman. Since the sequel revolves around how her family reacts to their relationship, we hear the makers have treated the Ajay and Maddy's inter-character dynamics with a lot of humour and several funny one-liners written for them will make it a laugh-riot.