Have you heard? Re-inventing action now  

Akshay Kumar, Siddharth Anand and Milan Luthria

One could attribute the underwhelming box-office performance of Khel Khel Mein to the Stree 2 onslaught, but there's no denying Akshay Kumar's ability to entertain the audience. He remains one of the most sought-after actors. The latest reports indicate a collaboration with Pathaan (2023) director Siddharth Anand. The two, who have been in talks for months, are set to team up soon. Sid has entrusted Milan Luthria to helm the actioner that he has developed with writer, Rajat Arora. The trio felt that Akki is their best bet to lead the vigilante action thriller. When the superstar heard the narration, he, too, found the subject interesting. The makers plan to present a never-seen-before action avatar of the superstar, who became synonymous with the genre in the 1990s and the 2000s. The yet-untitled movie is expected to go on floors early next year. By then, Akki is slated to wrap up his current line-up, including Welcome to the Jungle and Housefull 5.

Three-union times

Over seven years after the debacle of the romantic war drama, Rangoon (2017), Shahid Kapoor, Vishal Bhardwaj and Sajid Nadiadwala are set to reunite. This time around, for an action-packed thriller. The acclaimed director is said to have developed an idea that he intends to mount on a huge scale. Vishal and Sajid felt Sasha would be the best choice to translate their vision on screen. This will be the fourth collaboration of the actor-director jodi, who previously worked together on Kaminey (2009) and Haider (2014). The yet-untitled movie will have about half-a-dozen adrenaline-rushing action sequences. The actor was bowled by the script the moment he heard it. The makers are keen to begin filming in October and will cast a top leading lady for the movie that will be shot extensively in India and the US. They want to bring the film to cinemas next year, but the date will be decided only after they kick-start the production.

Cop once more

On the occasion of 10 years of Mardaani's (2014) release, YRF Films announced the third edition of the franchise yesterday. Rani Mukerji, who returns as police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy, said, "Shivani is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field." Excited about bringing Shivani back after Mardaani 2 (2019), the actor added, "It's been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country." The writing team is working on the final draft of the screenplay.

Saif is back in the race

Rumours are rife that Saif Ali Khan is returning to the Race franchise. The actor, who led the 2008 original and the 2013 sequel, is said to be in talks with producer Ramesh Taurani to reboot the franchise with Race 4. Race 3 (2018) was taken over by Salman Khan, who also produced the film. Putting its sub-par box-office performance behind him, Taurani has asked his writing team to flesh out the one-line concept that Saif has given his nod to, in principle. The Nawab is excited about being back in the series and the producer is planning to take the movie on floors early next year. They want to rope in a new director who can bring hi distinct voice to the fourth part. Meanwhile, Saif is planning to complete his next with director Priyadarshan and Bobby Deol as the antagonist.

Elnaaz's international mission

Elnaaz Norouzi appears to be striking a balance between working in India and internationally. The Iranian actor, who first earned notice for her portrayal of Zoya Mirza in Sacred Games (2018) and entered Hollywood with the Gerard Butler-starrer Kandahar (2013), is now said to have bagged Guy Moshe's Hotel Tehran. The action thriller, which goes on floors later this year, stars Liam Neeson and Zachary Levi in lead roles. Sources claim that Elnaaz plays the female lead opposite Zachary, though there is no official word on this from the makers. Hotel Tehran marks a homecoming of sorts for the German-Iranian actor-model who hails from the Iranian capital. "This film could be a major milestone for Elnaaz and help her establish herself in the international entertainment arena," adds our source.

Collaborating with Karan

Earlier this year, Orhan Awatramani aka Orry made his television debut in the finale of Karan Johar's popular chat show. Now, he has made his commercial debut with the filmmaker for a shoe brand. "Karan has accomplished and achieved way too many things for me to be friendly with him on a set. So, I am very professional towards Karan because that is my way of respecting him," says Orry about shooting with the filmmaker. Sharing that most aspiring actors would want a KJo launch, Orry adds, "Here, I am being launched with Karan Johar. You can't mess this up. I wasn't a friend on set, I was a fellow actor, a junior actor."