From Aamir Khan in Osho biopic, to Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt's Inshallah- 5 big films that never saw the light of day
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
There have been murmurs in the recent days about a much-awaited movie, that was on the backburner until now, finally witnessing some movement- The Intern. A Hindi remake of the Hollywood hit starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, it was revealed way back in 2020, with Deepika Padukone and late Rishi Kapoor stepping into their shoes. However, ever since the latter's death the same year, the project has been stuck in development hell.
Adding to this, Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Aamir Khan Over the years, there have been other projects that were revealed with a lot of fanfare, but have only remained alive in gossip and trade circles. Let's take a look:
Meanwhile, Filmmaker Karan Johar’s ambitious period drama was to feature a stellar cast- actors Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar and Anil Kapoor. Set in the Mughal era, the movie was expected to explore a fierce battle for succession. Revealed in 2018, the project was subsequently put on hold, and remains stuck in a limbo.
Notably, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic drama was set to bring actors Salman Khan and Alia Bhatt together for the first time. The movie was expected to begin production in 2019 but was shelved following differences between Bhansali and Salman. Its cancellation disappointed followers eager to see the filmmaker collaborate with the superstar again after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)
As per the latest buzz, View this post on Instagram The sequel to the 2008 hit Dostana was to star Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya. Production began before Kartik exited the project in 2021. Dharma Productions then revealed plans to recast the movie, citing professional circumstances without giving the details. However, the sequel has yet to materialise. Star Vikrant Massey had later stepped in for the sequel, but there's no update on the production currently.
In further updates, View this post on Instagram Filmmaker Aditya Dhar, before Dhurandhar, was working on another ambitious movie: a science-fiction movie featuring Vicky Kaushal as the mythological warrior Ashwatthama. Mounted on a massive scale, the project promised a blend of Indian mythology and futuristic action. However, budgetary concerns and the challenges of executing its ambitious vision stalled the movie. Interestingly, another movie on the same subject was later revealed by Pooja Entertainment, starring star Shahid Kapoor. There's no status on its development too.
On top of that, Filmmaker Shakun Batra was developing a project centered on spiritual guru Osho and his disciple Ma Anand Sheela in 2018. Actors Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt were as per reports associated with the proposed project, although the casting was never officially verified. Priyanka Chopra, later in 2020, also revealed plans to star in a biopic on Sheela. Its been six years without any update on that too.
Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, movie critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden ticket-window panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times