Sanjay Dutt and Jio Studios Revive 'Khal Nayak' Film License

Sanjay Dutt, the renowned Bollywood actor known for his role in the original film, has successfully obtained the rights to the 1993 blockbuster “Khal Nayak.” He collaborates with producer Aksha Kamboj, while Jio Studios has been engaged to present and produce the new project. The rights were acquired from the film's original creator, Subhash Ghai, and Mukta Arts, through Dutt's Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Kamboj's Aspect Entertainment.

Jyoti Deshpande, president of Jio Studios, will take on creative oversight for the venture. The specific nature of the project—whether it will be a remake, sequel, prequel, or a fresh script inspired by the original—has not yet been disclosed.

“Khal Nayak,” which was both directed and produced by Subhash Ghai, starred an ensemble cast including Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, and Rakhee Gulzar. The film narrates the story of two police officers, Ram and Ganga, as they pursue the escaped criminal Ballu, a portrayal that solidified Dutt's status as a versatile actor during a time when morally ambiguous leads were uncommon in mainstream Hindi cinema.

The movie stirred considerable controversy upon its release, particularly due to the provocative lyrics of its song “Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai.” Despite this, the film achieved significant commercial success, becoming the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of its release year.

This project represents the inaugural film initiative for Aspect Entertainment, an arm of Kamboj’s larger Aspect Global conglomerate. Jyoti Deshpande stated, “‘Khal Nayak’ stood out as an era-defining film just as the ‘Dhurandhar’ duology has done today. We are delighted to present this collaboration with Sanjay and Aksha as we look to reintroduce this iconic character back to the big screen for a new generation.”

Sanjay Dutt expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying, “It’s been a long-cherished dream of mine to be able to revive this film and hence we have legally acquired the rights for it. I want to thank Subhashji and the team of Mukta Arts for entrusting us with this legacy.”

Kamboj added, “This will be our first venture under the banner Aspect Entertainment. Having Jio Studios to present this and with Jyoti Deshpande’s track record of blockbusters, we have a winning combination that makes it even more exciting for us to start this journey.”

Jio Studios, which serves as the media and content wing of Reliance Industries Limited, has enjoyed notable success at the Hindi-language box office in recent years, with several films including “Stree 2” (2024), “Dhurandhar” (2025), and “Dhurandhar: The Revenge” (2026) achieving blockbuster status.