JioHotstar enters Middle East and North Africa through exclusive partnership with STARZPLAY

JioHotstar has expanded its international presence with its entry into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The move follows its launch in the UK, Canada and Singapore, adding another key market with a large South Asian audience to the platform’s growing global footprint. Through an exclusive partnership with STARZPLAY, JioHotstar will be available as a dedicated streaming destination on the STARZPLAY app and website.

The partnership combines JioHotstar’s content library with STARZPLAY’s regional reach and understanding of audiences in the MENA market. Viewers will have access to new JioHotstar Originals alongside their India releases, with content available with audio tracks in up to 10 languages. The offering will also include television content from JioStar TV channels, films and reality franchises.

Among the content available to audiences will be the upcoming season of Koffee with Karan and the ongoing season of Bigg Boss across six languages. The library will feature content in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla and other languages, along with a substantial Malayalam catalogue aimed at serving the region’s Malayali audience.

The JioHotstar offering will be available through STARZPLAY’s PLUS plan at AED 34.99 per month. The MAX plan, priced at AED 49.99 per month, will combine the complete JioHotstar entertainment offering with STARZPLAY’s sports portfolio, including major sporting events and cricket.

Commenting on JioHotstar’s expansion into the Middle East, Amit Malhotra, Head – International Business, JioStar, said, “The strong early response to JioHotstar across the UK, Canada and Singapore has reinforced our belief in the global opportunity for Indian entertainment. As we build JioHotstar into a truly global streaming platform, MENA is a crucial next market, with one of the world’s largest South Asian diaspora communities and a deep appetite for entertainment across languages. Our partnership with STARZPLAY allows us to enter the region with scale and bring audiences the breadth of JioHotstar, from new originals and daily television to blockbuster films and iconic reality franchises. This is an important step in taking Indian stories, talent and cultural moments to audiences around the world.”

Speaking about the partnership, Maaz Sheikh, CEO of STARZPLAY, said, “The next phase of streaming growth in MENA will be shaped by platforms that bring the right brands together and make the viewing experience more valuable. Audiences should not have to navigate an increasingly fragmented market to find the entertainment that matters to them. Bringing JioHotstar to STARZPLAY is a strategic investment in that future, combining the strength of India’s storytelling with our understanding of this region and the audiences we serve.”

“Cricket has given STARZPLAY a strong and lasting relationship with South Asian audiences across the region. JioHotstar allows us to extend that relationship beyond the match and into the entertainment households return to every day. Our ambition is to make STARZPLAY the destination where every member of the family finds something they value,” Maaz added.

To mark the MENA launch, the Burj Khalifa was illuminated as part of a launch celebration. JioHotstar’s Big Bang was projected onto the world’s tallest building in a display of colour and light, bringing together JioHotstar and STARZPLAY to mark the platform’s arrival in the region.

JioHotstar continues to explore features such as AI-powered personalisation, conversational discovery, interactive entertainment and in-app commerce. With its expansion into MENA, the platform now has an international presence spanning Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, with its approach tailored to the audiences in each market.

Also Read : Bigg Boss 20 teaser out: Salman Khan drops cryptic Karan Arjun hint ahead of September 6 premiere

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EXCLUSIVE: Cinepolis India’s Ashish Misra predicts HISTORIC Rs. 15,000 cr India box office in 2026; says, “Ramayana can be the BIGGEST film Indian cinema has ever seen”

By the end of July, international films had amassed Rs. 1,424 crores at the Indian box office, putting 2026 within striking distance of the all-time annual record of Rs. 1,595 crores set in 2019. Leading the charge was Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which emerged as the highest-grossing international film ever in India. The strong momentum continued through August, with international cinema commanding a 15% share of the Indian box office, up from 10% in 2025. The overall Indian box office, too, has been witnessing consistent growth. The cumulative gross box office of all films released in India stood at Rs. 11,833 crores in 2024 and rose to Rs. 13,395 crores in 2025. With 2026 delivering strong results across languages, genres and budgets, Ashish Misra, Head of Commercialisation, Cinepolis India, believes it would not be a surprise if the cumulative box office crosses the Rs. 15,000 crore mark for the first time.

In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Ashish Misra spoke about Hollywood’s impressive resurgence, expectations from Ramayana, the packed final quarter of 2026 and why the year could turn out to be a historic one for the Indian film industry.

How do you view Hollywood's performance so far this year? Not just biggies but even smaller films like Obsession worked big time… Hollywood has bounced back after facing a few barriers. The strikes in 2023 delayed the production and release of several films, and that had a trickle-down effect on box office performance as well. But this year, we have witnessed renewed interest, with films across multiple genres performing well.

Historically, horror has been a promising genre for Hollywood films in India. We have seen that with The Conjuring universe, the Evil Dead series, etc. Hence, Obsession performing well was not a surprise, especially because the film had incredibly positive word of mouth not just in India but globally. Today, in a connected world, when people start praising a movie, we see that sentiment translating into the Indian box office as well. That’s what happened with Obsession.

Meanwhile, Michael also did well. Project Hail Mary caught the imagination of Indian audiences because of its visuals and subject. And now, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has become the biggest Hollywood film ever in India. It is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which tends to perform very well in the country. Its performance has further increased our expectations from Avengers: Doomsday.

Hence, December looks very promising from an exhibitor’s point of view. Besides Avengers: Doomsday, we also have Dune: Part Three and Jumanji: Open World. Overall, 2026 is shaping up to be a very strong year for the industry.

Besides Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three and Jumanji: Open World, Shah Rukh Khan’s King also releases around the same time. Will it be a challenge to divide shows among these four anticipated films? When it comes to programming, it’s ultimately about demand. The idea is to allot more shows to the films that audiences want to watch. To give you an example, Toxic and Hanuman Ansh were playing in cinemas at the same time. Toxic was expected to be a huge grosser, while Hanuman Ansh, despite having released three weeks earlier, was gradually gaining momentum around the same time. Our programming accordingly evolved based on what the audiences were demanding.

What are your hopes from Ramayana? All of us Indians have grown up being mesmerized by the story of the Ramayana. Its theme of good versus evil resonates with audiences across the country. Hence, our expectations from Ramayana are very high.

It is mounted on such a massive scale that we believe it has the potential to become the biggest film the Indian film industry has ever seen. And it’s not just about India. The film also has the ability to take Indian culture and heritage to audiences across the world.

Any final thoughts? 2026 looks set to be the best-ever year for the Indian film industry. It will probably be the first time that the box office in India crosses the Rs. 15,000 crores mark. What is particularly encouraging is that the contribution is not coming from just a handful of blockbusters; a lot of small and medium-budget films are also doing very well. That’s one trend that has given us a lot of confidence.

Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama: Ramayana makers unveil BTS glimpse on actor’s birthday

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Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha producer Prakash Mahobiya alleges ‘negative marketing’; hints at big-budget Ramayana saying, “We never got a chance to reach our audience”

Producer Prakash Mahobiya has opened up about the theatrical performance of Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha, alleging that the mythological drama faced negative marketing and online campaigns that affected its reach. In an interview with India Today, Mahobiya claimed that the film did not get an adequate opportunity to reach audiences and suggested that an upcoming big-budget film based on the same epic may have influenced the online narrative. However, he stopped short of naming any project or filmmaker and said he could not confirm the information.

Speaking about the film’s reception, Mahobiya said, “It was negative marketing throughout. We never got a chance to reach our audience. The ones who watched our film really enjoyed it. But if they never got to see it, how will they even have an opinion?”

The producer further claimed that he had been told about efforts involving digital creators to discourage audiences from watching the film. He said, “From what we have been told, there are other movies on the same subject coming in, the big-budget film. As far as we know, a lot of negative marketing opportunities have been given to YouTubers, influencers and other people. They are spreading wrong information and asking people not to watch our film,” before adding, “I don’t know for sure, but that’s what we are being told.”

His comments come amid considerable attention around Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, the upcoming two-part adaptation produced by Namit Malhotra. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Raavan and is among the most closely watched upcoming Indian film projects. Mahobiya’s remarks, however, do not establish any connection between Ramayana and the alleged online campaigns against his film.

Mahobiya also admitted that marketing a film was a learning experience for him as a first-time producer. He said, “I have made a film for the first time, and I am new to this industry. I have no idea how to market a film after making it. We are not afraid of the loss, but we are disappointed that not many people managed to watch it. And hence, we want to release the film again.”

Maintaining that Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha offers a distinct interpretation, he added, “There is a lot of difference between your film and the other film that will arrive soon. But we are confident that, given a chance, people would have liked our film too.”

Directed by Abhishek Singh, Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha released in cinemas on September 25, 2026. The film stars Dev Sharma as Lord Ram, Anjali Arora as Goddess Sita, Sheel Verma as Laxman and Rajniesh Duggall in a pivotal role.

Following its theatrical run, the makers are now exploring the possibility of re-releasing the film in cinemas to give it another opportunity to reach audiences.

Also Read: Anjali Arora gives her take on the ongoing Ranbir Kapoor – prasad controversy; says, “Prasad is God’s blessing, it doesn’t increase weight”

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Ram Gopal Varma reacts to Janhvi Kapoor ‘Chuttamalle’ song deepfake row: “The smart thing would have been to concentrate on catching the perpetrator”

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has weighed in on the deepfake controversy involving Janhvi Kapoor and the song ‘Chuttamalle’, and the celebrity reaction that followed. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he shared his views on how the matter has been handled.

Varma wrote, "The only thing all the celebrities succeeded in, is to publicise and thereby make crores and crores of people see the objectionable link.. The smart thing would have been to concentrate on catching the perpetrator and publicise that.. Instead what they did is to tweet and bring enormous attention to the victim's identity and the offensive content which is also a crime."

The only thing all the celebrities succeeded in , is to publicise and thereby make crores and crores of people see the objectionable link ..The smart thing would have been to concentrate on catching the perpetrator and publicise that ..Instead what they did is to tweet and bring enormous attention to the victim’s identity and the offensive content which is also a crime — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) October 4, 2026

In another tweet, he added, "When you can't WIN , you should JOIN …. . If you fight A I , it will ERASE you out of EXISTENCE." In essence, Varma's view is that a call for action against those spreading the AI-generated version would have been a better approach than a wave of public condemnation.

When you can’t WIN , you should JOIN …. . If you fight A I , it will ERASE you out of EXISTENCE 😔 — Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) October 5, 2026

For the past few days, Janhvi has been at the centre of a social media storm after a deepfake AI video depicting the actress in an inappropriate manner, made from the ‘Chuttamalle’ song, began circulating on the platform. The actress penned a long note on Monday, 5 October, condemning the act and expressing her disappointment over such cybercrimes.

Janhvi has received strong support from her fans and followers. Her Devara co-star Jr NTR, with whom she featured in the ‘Chuttamalle’ song, also took to the platform to post a scathing message. He was followed by several big names from the South industry, including megastar Chiranjeevi.

The episode has brought two approaches into focus. One, reflected in the reaction of Janhvi and her supporters, is to publicly condemn deepfake abuse and stand with the victim. The other, voiced by Varma, is to prioritise tracking down and acting against the perpetrator while avoiding further spread of the content. Both positions come from the shared concern that AI misuse is a serious problem, though they differ on how best to respond.

Also Read: Janhvi Kapoor condemns morphed AI video from Devara Part 1 song ‘Chuttamalle’: “Consent, choice and respect for a woman’s body should be basic”

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EXCLUSIVE: Shreyaa Chaudhry of Bandish Bandits fame to star opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in YRF and Posham Pa Pictures’ Mupapa

The leading heroine in Ayushmann Khurrana’s Mupapa has been revealed. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that Shreyaa Chaudhry, who has steadily established herself as one of the most promising actors of her generation through acclaimed performances in Prime Video’s Bandish Bandits and The Mehta Boys, is paired opposite Khurrana in Yash Raj Films and Posham Pa Pictures’ upcoming genre-bending thriller.

Known for her natural performances and ability to bring depth and emotion to her characters, Shreyaa has built a strong connection with audiences through a diverse body of work. Her performances across both seasons of Bandish Bandits were appreciated for their natural and relatable portrayal, while The Mehta Boys further showcased her versatility and ability to take on layered characters. With Mupapa, Shreyaa takes another significant step forward in her career.

Directed by Kaala Paani fame Sameer Saxena, Mupapa is produced by Akshaye Widhani (CEO, Yash Raj Films) and Posham Pa Pictures, the banner Sameer co-founded with Biswapati Sarkar, Saurabh Khanna and Amit Golani. The film marks the first theatrical collaboration between the studio and the production house. Although the plot details of the project are strictly kept under wraps, it's expected to deliver an incredibly new visual experience for people in theaters, while promising to keep the audience at the edge of their seats from the word go. The film is presently in the post-production stage and is slated for a release in cinemas on February 19, 2027.

In another significant career development, Shreyaa Chaudhry has also been signed for exclusive management by YRF Talent, marking a new chapter in her professional journey. She now joins the talent management arm of Yash Raj Films, which represents an impressive roster of established stars and some of the most promising names from the new generation, including Rani Mukerji, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor, Sharvari, Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, among others.

Also Read: Yash Raj Films and Posham Pa Pictures’ first theatrical collaboration starring Ayushmann Khurrana is titled Mupapa, set to release on Feb 19, 2027

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EXCLUSIVE: Real Kashmir Football Club writer Simaab Hashmi on Emmy honour; says, “A Kashmiri Pandit and a Kashmiri Muslim started the club together; sounded too good to be true”; on its UNCENSORED Kashmiri flavour: “I heard locals using abuses; I’d ask what they meant and note everything down!”

On September 23, the nominations for the 54th International Emmy Awards were announced and, in a significant achievement for India, the SonyLIV series Real Kashmir Football Club bagged a nomination in the Best Drama Series category. The recognition came as a pleasant surprise for the team, who are understandably on cloud nine. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Simaab Hashmi, the lead writer and an executive producer of Real Kashmir Football Club, spoke about the making of the show, its portrayal of Kashmir, the unexpected Emmy honour, the possibility of Season 2 and a lot more.

Congratulations on the Emmy nomination. This is huge… Thank you so much. We are still in disbelief. Everytime someone calls me and congratulates me, it takes me a second to process that yes, our show has indeed made it to the Emmys! It’s not something you imagine will happen. Someone said that it is TV ka Oscars (laughs).

How did you get associated with the show as a writer and executive producer? I came across a newspaper article about the football club. I was amazed to learn there’s a football team in Kashmir. What further added to my surprise was that a Kashmiri Pandit and a Kashmiri Muslim came together to start this team. It sounded too good to be true. I asked myself, ‘How did this happen and how come nobody knows about it?’. I met a writer friend and told him that we should do something about this story. Meanwhile, I also met a common friend, who eventually become a producer on the show – Vishakha Singh. She also essayed the role of Manav Kaul’s wife. She was completely sold by the idea. We didn’t know whether it would be made into a film or a series, but we definitely wanted to work on it. She asked me to call the owners and get the rights.

I called them, but by then, bahut logon ka call chala gaya tha unko. As you know, Bollywood is always looking for the next great story, right? So, they told me, ‘This person called me, that person called me’. They also said, ‘We are busy. Come and talk to us’. I told Vishakha that we should head to Srinagar. The next day, we were there. We told the owners that we had landed and they couldn’t believe it. I told them, ‘Aapne hi bola tha ki aa jaao’! This was the person whose character was eventually played by Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub bhai. We met him and got a first-hand experience of Kashmiri hospitality. He also introduced me to the Pandit owner, the late Sandeep Chattoo, who is no longer with us.

Then, we kept going back and spent months there. We have heard so many stories about Kashmir that are told from an outsider’s perspective. We were clear that until we understood what the people were really like, we shouldn’t make this series. We would stay in people’s homes because they were so warm and inviting.

Later, we met Kilian Kerwin, the seasoned producer of Delhi Crime. He loved the subject and immediately said, ‘We are making the show’. We met a lot of platforms, but since this was a very different story, we would often be told, ‘Kashmir ki story toh yeh nahin lag rahi hai’. My response was, ‘Exactly! That’s why it should be made. It’s not a regular tale of Kashmir’. It’s a story of hope, contrary to the dark tales that we have usually seen set in the Valley. Thankfully, Kilian believed in the idea and decided to put money into it. So, we made the show without having a platform on board.

Kilian brought in Mahesh Mathai, the legendary ad filmmaker, as the director. He became the captain of the ship and guided us throughout. Once the show was completed, SonyLIV came on board. They were great partners; Danish Khan, Saugata Mukherjee and the whole team were very excited about the show. The rest is history, especially after what has happened with the Emmy nomination.

Were Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and Manav Kaul the original choices for the roles of Sohail Meer and Shirish Kemmu? They were the only two choices. Nowadays, we hear that ‘Yeh banda famous hai. Iske kaafi Instagram followers hain. Isko cast kar lo’. But that’s not how we functioned. Manav Kaul is a Kashmiri himself. When we met him, we instantly realized that he would be apt. The same applied to Zeeshan. Both actors are great; it was surprising that they had never worked together.

They were very collaborative. We would make up scenes on the set. Mahesh sir was so nice and liberal that he would tell us, ‘You boys just figure it out’! Me, Manav bhai and Zeeshan would then sit in the van and be like ‘Iss scene ko aise karte hai’. So, we did tweak some of the scenes.

Can you give us an example of a scene which was improvised on the set? After the wedding takes place on the football ground, there’s a confrontation scene between Manav bhai and Zeeshan about the future of the club. That scene was very different initially. We had doubts about whether it was working or not. While the production team was setting up the scene, Zeeshan, Manav bhai, Kilian and I sat together and created a new version of it. Then, Mahesh sir came in and added his magic sprinkle on top of it.

How did the people of Kashmir react to the show? I can’t tell you the number of people who have reached out. Even while we were making the show and doing our research, everyone was so happy that we were telling a story about the football club. After the show was released, several local personalities, including RJs, reached out to me on Instagram or somehow got my number and messaged me, ‘Thank you, Simaab, for showing us how we actually are’! Some even remarked, ‘The normal day-to-day life that we have has never been represented on celluloid’.

From the start, my idea was that mujhe Kashmiri ke kitchen ki kahaani jaanni hai. Their lives are just like ours, and the same goes for their joys and troubles. Of course, they have larger problems as well, but I wanted to depict the human experience of a Kashmiri. The best way I can put it is that Kashmiris felt represented.

I met so many women there who are working, running businesses and leading their families. We have rarely seen that represented in popular culture. Even though our show is about a men’s football team, each and every female character was very important. Some of them were even leading certain tracks in the show.

For the first time in my life, I heard Kashmiri abuses, thanks to your show… (Laughs) We used to hang out with a lot of Kashmiri boys. We noticed that while talking among themselves, they would use choicy words! I would ask them what they meant. They would say, ‘Yeh so-and-so Hindi gaali ka Kashmiri equivalent hain’! I would note everything down. Adhir Bhat, who is also a Kashmiri, wrote the dialogues and helped us figure out the correct words to use.

How many days did it take to shoot Real Kashmir Football Club? I know it feels like a very long show, but we finished the shoot in record time – just 55 days! And this was despite all the football sequences, which involved so many different angles, setups and cameras. One thing I learnt was that shooting football is like shooting action!

Will there be a Season 2? After all, the show ends by informing viewers that Real Kashmir Football Club had another round of success two years after the events shown in the first season, in 2018… There are a lot of stories about the club that remain untold. Our show came out last December and suddenly, people are now texting and calling me to say, ‘This is such a good show’. So, I am hoping that the Emmy honour may lead us to a second season. We have plenty of stories left to tell.

I remember once I randomly told Sandeep Chattoo, ‘Sir, this is such a fairy tale story’. He replied, ‘Let me correct you that this is not a fairy tale story. Fairy tales come to an end, while Real Kashmir is forever’. So, we hope to tell more stories from Kashmir.

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Janhvi Kapoor condemns morphed AI video from Devara Part 1 song ‘Chuttumalle’: “Consent, choice and respect for a woman's body should be basic”

Janhvi Kapoor has spoken out against the circulation of a morphed AI-generated video featuring her from the Devara Part 1 song ‘Chuttumalle’. The incident has sparked widespread concern on social media, with the actress once again becoming a victim of digital manipulation. Janhvi, who has previously spoken about being targeted by deepfake technology, took to Instagram to condemn the misuse of technology and the violation of women’s consent.

In a detailed note, Janhvi highlighted how the objectification of women through manipulated digital content has become an increasingly serious concern. She wrote, “The criminal misuse of technology to objectify women and circulate fictionalised content without consent is deeply violating, bordering on sexual assault. Almost every woman in my industry has faced some version of this, and women everywhere are increasingly being subjected to it,” her note read and continued, “Consent, choice and respect for a woman's body should be among the most basic notions of humanity. Yet somehow, they continue to be treated as complicated. They are not.”

Janhvi further explained that consent cannot be assumed or taken for granted under any circumstances. Drawing an analogy, she wrote, “It is surprising that it still seems too nuanced for some people to understand that even if a woman says yes five days in a row and no on the sixth, that no must be respected. If she happens to wear a miniskirt, it does not give anyone permission to put a camera up her skirt, capture violating angles or visually exploit her body. What a woman is comfortable with, where she draws the line and what she chooses to do with her body are decisions that belong exclusively to her. This is basic.”

The actress also placed the incident within the larger conversation around women’s safety, saying that the threat of violation has now extended into the digital space. “This goes far beyond the ai videos I have dealt with over the last few days, or anything I have personally experienced throughout my career. It is about the larger reality of being a woman, the gaze, the judgement, the constant negotiation for safety, and the feeling that our boundaries somehow remain open to interpretation. That threat has now expanded into the digital sphere, when we have not even adequately addressed the very real, physical fear that continues to disrupt the lives of women every day,” she said.

Janhvi also stressed that the responsibility cannot solely be placed on women to protect themselves - “The answer cannot simply be to "protect your daughter." we also need to undo the conditioning that makes people believe they are entitled to violate somebody else's boundaries in the first place. And part of that change will come from exemplary men with the moral compass and the spine to say clearly what is right and what is wrong.”

The actress thanked her Devara co-star NTR Jr., along with Chiranjeevi, Vijay Deverakonda and Khushbu Sundar, for speaking up against the incident and supporting her. She expressed, “I am deeply touched by NTR sir for taking such a strong stand and condemning this violation. Thank you, sir. When someone whom millions look up to speaks up about something that may not directly concern him, it makes a difference to every woman who has experienced some degree of this behaviour.” “Thank you also to Chiranjeevi sir, Vijay and Khushbu ma'am for amplifying that sentiment and calling for action against this mentality and these immoral practices,” she added.

She concluded by urging people to reconsider the attitude towards women’s boundaries and choice, “I hope everything unfolding around us right now forces those who participate in any form of harassment to introspect. Is it really too much for a woman to ask to simply be treated and seen as a human being? Her body. Her image. Her boundaries. Her choice.”

Also Read: All about this effortless beauty avatar of Janhvi Kapoor: Actress keeps it understated with concealer, pink blush and nude lips

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Mona Singh shares first glimpse from her UK shoot; see post

Mona Singh has begun shooting for her next film in the UK, continuing a busy year that has seen the actor take on multiple roles across different projects. After appearing in six distinct roles in 2026, Singh has now started work on another feature film.

The actor took to social media to share a glimpse from the film’s picturesque shooting location in the Cotswolds. Along with the post, Mona expressed her excitement about being part of the project and hinted at its unconventional approach to filmmaking. She captioned the post: "This project/movie feels special and unprecedented , its because we have thrown out the old rule book. #actorslife #cotswold #makingmovies #instamood #oct2026".

Her note suggests that the upcoming film will take a different approach to storytelling, moving away from conventional narrative formats. While details about the project are currently under wraps, her post offers a glimpse into the creative process behind the film.

 

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As per reports, the film is directed by Vikas Bahl and features an ensemble cast of Indian and international actors, musicians and performers. The story is reportedly set in Britain in the early 1990s and explores the period when the UK Punjabi music movement was beginning to take shape.

The film is set against a time when a generation growing up between cultures was finding its voice through music and performance. The narrative reportedly traces this period through garages, backrooms, pirate radio stations and underground gigs, reflecting the emergence of a cultural movement that would go on to shape the experiences of a generation.

With production now underway in the Cotswolds, further details about the cast, storyline and release plans are awaited.

Also Read : EXCLUSIVE: Vikas Bahl’s next stars Jimmy Shergill, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Mona Singh, Alizeh Agnihotri; based on the explosive rise of Punjabi music in 90s UK

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Ramesh Taurani reveals he once REFUSED a film because Suniel Shetty was the hero; "One hour later, his secretary called me"

Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani spoke to Komal Nahta about their journey and experience of working on the music of some important films in their career. Ramesh Taurani also spoke of an embarrassing experience involving Suniel Shetty ad the beginning their journey.

Ramesh Taurani revealed, “I bought music rights of two films from Firoz Nadiadwala – Ram Shastra (1995) and one more film starring Anil Kapoor. Anil’s film was never made and we adjusted the money in Ram Shastra. After I paid him for the music rights of his two films, he announced three more films the next day. One film starred Suniel Shetty and he had just arrived in the industry. Firoz Nadiadwala asked me to acquire the music rights of those three films as well. I told him, ‘I don’t want’. When he asked the reason, I replied, ‘Kyunki aapki picture mein hero toh Suniel Shetty hai’. This happened in 1990 or 1991. We were new; we didn’t know that we couldn’t talk in this way.”

Ramesh raised laughs as he said, “One hour later, I got a call from Jatin Rajguru, the secretary of Suniel Shetty. He said, ‘Suniel wants to meet you’. I asked them to come to our office. He came in an hour and told me, ‘Sir, aap aisa mat bolo ki Suniel Shetty ki picture nahin lenge’. I confessed that I did say that but also assured him that I would buy the rights of his next two films. Those two films were Raghuveer (1995) and Takkar (1995). We were also involved in the music sittings. Takkar’s song ‘Aankhon Mein Base Ho Tum’ is popular even today.”

Ramesh Taurani remarked, “It was a lesson that taught us ki industry mein kya nahin bolna chahiye!”

Also Read: Ramesh Taurani reveals how his Rs. 5 lakh cheque helped Salman Khan get paid and kickstarted Patthar Ke Phool – a film that was NEVER supposed to be made

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Ramesh Taurani reveals he once REFUSED a film because Suniel Shetty was the hero; "One hour later, his secretary called me"

Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani spoke to Komal Nahta about their journey and experience of working on the music of some important films in their career. Ramesh Taurani also spoke of an embarrassing experience involving Suniel Shetty ad the beginning their journey.

Ramesh Taurani revealed, “I bought music rights of two films from Firoz Nadiadwala – Ram Shastra (1995) and one more film starring Anil Kapoor. Anil’s film was never made and we adjusted the money in Ram Shastra. After I paid him for the music rights of his two films, he announced three more films the next day. One film starred Suniel Shetty and he had just arrived in the industry. Firoz Nadiadwala asked me to acquire the music rights of those three films as well. I told him, ‘I don’t want’. When he asked the reason, I replied, ‘Kyunki aapki picture mein hero toh Suniel Shetty hai’. This happened in 1990 or 1991. We were new; we didn’t know that we couldn’t talk in this way.”

Ramesh raised laughs as he said, “One hour later, I got a call from Jatin Rajguru, the secretary of Suniel Shetty. He said, ‘Suniel wants to meet you’. I asked them to come to our office. He came in an hour and told me, ‘Sir, aap aisa mat bolo ki Suniel Shetty ki picture nahin lenge’. I confessed that I did say that but also assured him that I would buy the rights of his next two films. Those two films were Raghuveer (1995) and Takkar (1995). We were also involved in the music sittings. Takkar’s song ‘Aankhon Mein Base Ho Tum’ is popular even today.”

Ramesh Taurani remarked, “It was a lesson that taught us ki industry mein kya nahin bolna chahiye!”

Also Read: Ramesh Taurani reveals how his Rs. 5 lakh cheque helped Salman Khan get paid and kickstarted Patthar Ke Phool – a film that was NEVER supposed to be made

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Ramesh Taurani reveals how his Rs. 5 lakh cheque helped Salman Khan get paid and kickstarted Patthar Ke Phool – a film that was NEVER supposed to be made

Ramesh Taurani and Kumar Taurani spoke to Komal Nahta about their journey and experience of working on the music of some important films in their career. At the beginning, Ramesh Taurani said, “The first film whose music rights we acquired was Gunahon Ka Devta (1990). We paid Rs. 2.25 lakhs for it. We both didn’t sleep for 2 nights as we had paid Rs. 25,000 to the makers. Then we wondered, ‘Inko Rs. 2 lakhs chukayenge kaise?’ (laughs)! We also bought the music rights of Elaan-E-Jung (1989), which, again was an action film. We wanted to prove ourselves. So, we installed 6 hoardings for this film in Mumbai, in places like Bandra, Juhu, etc. Imagine a music company putting up posters, that too of an action film. But it worked as it sparked a discussion among filmmakers. They felt ki ‘Yeh toh acchi music company hai’!”

Ramesh continued, “Then, we bagged the rights of Patthar Ke Phool (1991). Bhagyashree took the full credit for Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). 3 months after its release, Salman Khan didn’t have any film in its pipeline. That’s when Salim saab asked G P Sippy saab to announce that he was producing Salman’s next film. He told Sippy saab, ‘Bhale aap picture mat banao lekin aapke announcement se ek boost milega’.”

Ramesh Taurani revealed, “It was in Film Information magazine where I read that G P Sippy has signed Salman Khan. The news got published on Saturday and on Monday, I was in G P Sippy saab’s office. I expressed the desire to acquire the music rights. I asked him, ‘Have you signed any music director?’. He replied, ‘No’. I then asked if he had got a lyricist on board. He told me, ‘We haven’t done that either’. I requested him to get the Maine Pyar Kiya team again – music director Raamlaxman, lyricist Dev Kohli, and singers S P Balasubrahmanyam and Lata Mangeshkar! I told him, ‘Yeh combination hi aap lena. Aap bataiye aapka price kya hai?’.”

Ramesh added, “G P Sippy saab confessed that he hadn’t given much thought to the music and asked me to meet him after 2 days. Meanwhile, he was in touch with Viveck Vaswani, who wished to make an Rs. 80 lakh project called Patthar Ke Phool. Viveck wanted to sign Salman Khan and Ravi Tandon’s daughter, Raveena Tandon. Sippy saab initially declined, saying that it was a small project while they were used to making big-budget films. But after he met me, he felt, ‘Music ka aadmi aa gaya kheeli ek announcement pe. Toh iss project ko active karte hain’ (smiles).”

Ramesh Taurani stated, “Hence, he called Viveck Vaswani and the next day, he met Raamlaxman and discussed his fees. He asked for Rs. 12 lakhs. A day later, G P Sippy saab met me and told me, ‘Woh bahut mehenga hai. Rs. 12 lakh maanga’. Those days, Anand-Milind’s music rights used to be sold for Rs. 2-3 lakhs, while Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s music rights were sold in the range of Rs. 3-5 lakhs. I was in a spot as I was the one who had suggested Raamlaxman’s name! Finally, we negotiated and bought the rights for Rs. 10 lakhs.”

Ramesh then said, “We gave G P Sippy saab the first cheque amounting to Rs. 5 lakhs. From that amount, payments were made to Salman, Raveena and Salim saab, who was also the film’s writer. That’s how the film went on floors!”

Also Read: Lyricist Mehboob reacts to ‘Humma Humma’ remake in OK Jaanu: “NOT very happy with the idea of remixes…we have great creative minds, so why not make something new?”

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