Aamir Khan is reportedly set to join hands with Sidharth Malhotra and Tiger Shroff for the much-awaited Race Reboot. The upcoming project is said to be a fresh take on the popular action thriller franchise, which originally featured Saif Ali Khan in the first two instalments before Salman Khan took the lead in the third film.

The Race franchise has developed a cult following over the years, with the first two films starring Saif Ali Khan becoming popular for their high-octane action, twists and turns, and ensemble cast. Race 3, which arrived later with Salman Khan in the lead, took the series in a different direction.

Now, the reboot is reportedly being planned with an entirely new star cast. While Sidharth Malhotra’s name has been associated with the project for some time, Tiger Shroff has also recently been linked to the film. According to current reports, Aamir Khan is the latest major name to be added to the much-anticipated project. A source was quoted telling Pinkvilla, “Aamir has liked the script and is very involved in the writing process. He is working closely with the writers to develop the material further. He feels that the reboot can bring a completely new flavour to the Race franchise”

The source further revealed that the upcoming film is being envisioned as a thriller unlike anything previously attempted in India, with the makers looking to introduce a fresh perspective to the franchise. “It’s a thriller unlike anything done before in India. The idea is to take the franchise into a new space and create something that feels fresh for the audience. A strong ensemble will come on board the film, and the casting will be announced at the right time,” the source added.

Aamir Khan is reportedly taking an active interest in the development of the project and is said to be ensuring that the script reaches the desired level before making a final commitment. In a concluding statement, the source reportedly stated, “Aamir is very excited to embark on this journey of Race. He is taking his time to make sure the script reaches the level he wants before he commits fully. The idea is to make Race Reboot a big-screen thriller with a strong ensemble and a completely fresh flavour.”

Race Reboot is said to be directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, who has previously collaborated with Aamir Khan on two action thrillers — Dhoom 3 and Thugs of Hindostan. If Aamir comes on board, the project will mark their third collaboration in the action-thriller space.

Meanwhile, Ramesh Taurani of Tips Films has reportedly already begun pre-production on the film. With Sidharth Malhotra, Tiger Shroff and potentially Aamir Khan forming part of the ensemble, Race Reboot is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated projects in the action thriller space.

Also Read: Ramesh Taurani clarifies Akshaye Khanna won’t return for Race 4: “The work on the script is on”

Akshay Oberoi impressed the audience with his short but impactful performance in Yash-starrer Toxic. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, the talented and dashing actor spoke about his experience of working on the film a lot more.

Toxic is your biggest film to date. What are your thoughts now that it has finally released in cinemas? You said it yourself. It’s the biggest film I have done. It has opened me up to an audience that didn’t know me. There’s a chunk of cinemagoing audience in the South that are probably discovering my work for the first time. Across the country, the film probably must be playing in around 12,000-13,000 screens. Also, the box office number on the day of release has been astronomical. Some films do such numbers in their lifetime and they are called successful. Hence, it’s been very cool to be a part of that experience. It was also lovely to be on the promotional tour. I am grateful to Boss (Yash) and Geetu Mohandas that they even invited me to come, celebrate and promote the film across the country. It was super-fun (smiles).

Before Toxic, Geetu Mohandas had made small-budget films like Liar's Dice (2013) and Moothon (2019). Did you ever imagine that Toxic was going to be a big-scale production when it was offered to you? Well, we are all plugged into the business. Hence, I knew that Geetu Mohandas was doing a film with Boss. Once I found out that the film being offered to me is directed by her, I knew what the film was. Udti-udti khabarein suni thi maine ki aisi koi film ban rahi hai. As a result, I knew the scale of the film a day before she was going to call to offer me the film. In my mind, it was already a yes. It was not like main baat karunga aur fir main sochunga. I was sure I’ll give my nod for the project.

At the Toxic trailer launch in Bengaluru, you revealed that you were told to mouth a dialogue from The Godfather (1972) as part of your audition… Yes. She saw my film Fighter (2024), after which she got in touch with me. It's all thanks to her 13-year-old daughter, by the way! Geetu’s meeting had got cancelled and she was free. Her daughter insisted that she wanted to see Fighter. She agreed. She saw me in Fighter, liked my performance and sourced my number.

She told casting director Yash Nagarkoti that ‘I know how he acts in Hindi, but I want to see how he acts in English’. Hence, I was asked to send an audio of me speaking an English dialogue. I agreed and asked Yash Nagarkoti which scene I should perform. He told me to mouth a dialogue of Moe Greene’s character from The Godfather.

However, instead of simply sending an audio clip, I wore a suit, did my hair, performed the entire scene on camera and sent it to her. She told me she hadn’t expected that. I replied, ‘I was getting a chance to act in front of you. I wasn’t going to miss that opportunity. Audio bhej ke kya karta main? If I had a chance to make you watch me act, I thought I should put it on tape and do it in the best way possible.’

That’s how I bagged the part. It’s the film where I probably learned the most, including about the business of cinema. There were so many big stars and hence, it was a complete learning graph.

Was your death scene the most difficult one? Yes. Having said that, I don’t ever view acting like a difficult thing. It’s a joy. Getting a scene like that was so much fun. Of course, I am crying and screaming in that sequence. But I never find acting a burden and I am not like, ‘Oh, I have to do such a scene aur isliye main 4 ghante soch raha hoon’. I go with the flow and be in the moment. I work a lot on the character, like who the guy is, what he is after, where he has come from etc. I also make sure that I know my lines very, very well. Then, you surrender to the moment. You have fun.

Similarly, after completing that day’s shoot, I didn’t go home thinking, ‘Oh, what a difficult day. Thank God, it’s over.’ Instead, I was sad because the best scene I had in the film, the one where I got to do the most acting, was over!

Were you shocked reading the twist in the climax of Toxic when the film was offered to you? No, as we were only narrated until where we were in the film. Nobody knew the rest of the script! As time went on and because I got close to Geetu and Boss, I was able to roughly figure things out.

You addressed Yash as ‘Boss’. Since when are you doing that and how did it start? It’s a title given to him by his ardent fans who know him since the beginning of his career. Later on, he got the tag of ‘Rocking Star Yash’. However, the ‘Boss’ title predates the ‘Rocking Star Yash’ tag. And the title is apt because he is a boss. Everyone on the set and the people working for his production house, Monster Mind Creations, also call him Boss as he’s such a leader. Toh woh dil se cheez nikalti hai. I just can’t call him ‘Yash sir’, it has to be ‘Boss’.

Seeing him exposed me to so many things about my own career. I realized I am running behind big producers and directors. I guess doing so is important as well. But this man has believed in himself and invested in himself. Of course, he’s an actor par excellence, but he has learned every department of filmmaking – from lighting and editing to screenplay, distribution, production design and practically every other aspect of the craft. He’s curating his own content and carving his own path. He’s not waiting for anybody. The problem of an actor is that we wait for that one phone call that would change our lives.

Hence, when I saw him, I realized that there’s a whole different way of achieving your dream. This is the reason people like Yash are called path-breakers. When I saw that, it made me realize that mere andar yeh cheez nahin thi. But now I have imbibed the quality from him and you’ll see me implementing it big time in the next few years. I don’t know exactly when, but I know how. For that reason, I have to call him ‘Boss’. I have given him that place in my mind and heart as he’s that for me.

Also Read: Akshay Oberoi says he feels “fortunate” to join Geetu Mohandas’ female-led cast in Toxic

Ajay Devgn is set to return as one of his most memorable characters, Vijay Salgaonkar, with the much-awaited Drishyam The Conclusion. The third instalment of the Hindi crime thriller franchise is scheduled to release theatrically on October 2, 2026, promising to take forward the gripping story of Vijay and his family.

The makers recently dropped a poster confirming the release date with a powerful statement that captures Vijay’s central motivation: “Sahi ya galat, jo bhi ho... main apni family ke liye kisi bhi hadh tak ja sakta hoon (Whether it is right or wrong, whatever it is…. I can go to any extent for my family).” The announcement once again puts the spotlight on Vijay Salgaonkar, a man willing to cross every line to protect his loved ones.

Presented by Star Studio18, Drishyam The Conclusion is a Panorama Studios production directed by Abhishek Pathak. The screenplay and writing credits include Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh. The film is produced by Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak.

The Drishyam franchise has established a strong following among audiences with its combination of crime, suspense, family drama and psychological tension. The Hindi films, starring Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar, are adaptations of the Malayalam franchise led by Mohanlal. Over the years, the Hindi series has developed a cult following, particularly for its layered storytelling and Vijay’s elaborate attempts to protect his family.

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Set against the backdrop of Goa, Drishyam The Conclusion will once again revolve around Vijay Salgaonkar but this time it will be focusing more on the emotional aftermath of the events surrounding a murder. Having spent years attempting to stay ahead of the police and protect his family, Vijay now faces another chapter in a story that has continued to haunt him.

With Ajay Devgn reprising the role, the third chapter is expected to further explore Vijay’s battle between protecting his family and confronting the emotional consequences of his actions. The title Drishyam The Conclusion also signals that the upcoming film could bring the long-running story of the Salgaonkar family to its decisive chapter.

Drishyam The Conclusion is slated to release in cinemas on October 2, 2026.

Also Read: Drishyam The Conclusion director Abhishek Pathak says story continues from where Drishyam 2 ended

Taapsee Pannu, Kanika Dhillon and Guneet Monga Kapoor attended a session organized by WIF India and Kathha Pictures on women driving Indian cinema and the rise of female-led collaborations. Taapsee stunned the audience as she spoke about her experience on a film early in her career.

Taapsee Pannu said, “We actresses are always called a few hours earlier, not just to the location, but even on set. So, the actress reaches first. Once the assistant sees that the heroine has arrived, that’s when the hero is called. Of course, we never get the same hotel rooms or cars either, courtesy our gender.”

She then revealed, “I shot an introduction sequence for a film and I really liked it. In fact, one of the reasons I said yes to the film was that entry scene because, at that point, that’s what I knew – aise teen-chaar scene hone chahiye, bahut hai aapke liye as a heroine! Suddenly, they changed the sequence. The hero was given equal footing and a more substantial part in it. It was a very expensive and fancy sequence, and he felt that he also wanted to be a part of it.”

Taapsee continued, “The hero filmed it and then I went to the director and said, ‘This is not supposed to be like this, right? At least you could have told me that you had changed it, forget asking me.’ He replied, ‘I did not know that I had to tell you!’ It was a harsh reality check.”

Taapsee Pannu shared another shocking incident film, “In one scene, there was a tight close-up of mine in which I tell the hero, ‘Go to hell’. But the director told me in the dubbing theatre that I should not say, ‘Go to hell’! He advised me to change it to ‘whatever’ or something on those lines. I explained to him, ‘It’s a tight close-up. It’s going to show’. But he kept giving me very lame reasons. I asked him what the problem was. I was not using a cuss word, after all. I kept arguing and he also probably got tired. Finally, he told me that the hero had told me to not say, ‘Go to hell’!”

Taapsee added, “But I made it clear and said, ‘I will not change the dialogue. You can mute it. I’ll prefer that. But I’ll not dub it wrongly’.” At this point, there was applause at the venue.

However, the actress asked the attendees to hold on as the story was far from over, prompting laughter at the venue. Taapsee Pannu further said, “Let me tell you what happened after that! The film came out and I specifically went to see it for that scene to see what they had done. They hired a dubbing artist and made sure that they dubbed what the hero told them to dub! The remaining film is in my voice. But that one dialogue was dubbed.”

The host asked if this happened recently on some film. Taapsee Pannu smiled and replied, “It was way back. Recently aisa mere saath karke toh dikhao!”

Also Read: Netflix unveils Gandhari Trailer starring Taapsee Pannu as a mother on a mission

Composer and singer Amaal Mallik has announced that he is taking a break from composing music for films. The musician shared an emotional note on X on Thursday, telling his fans that he wants to step away from the demands of the industry for some time and focus on his mental, physical and overall well-being.

Amaal, whose song ‘Yeh Awarapan’ recently featured in the Emraan Hashmi-starrer Awarapan 2, assured his followers that he is doing fine but feels the need to prioritise himself at this point. “I am all good and I will go all the way in, this time, to do what is best for me and only do what is important to my heart and for my health,”  he wrote.

Opening up about his decision, Amaal said that the break is necessary for his “mind, body, soul and overall physical healing.” He also expressed his intention to return to music after taking the time he needs to recover. Addressing his fans, whom he calls Amaalians, he wrote that he wants to “rise, recuperate and bounce back soon with a heart full of melodies.”

I am all good & I will go all the way in, this time, to do what is best for me & only do what is important to my heart & for my health.

Need a break for my mind, body, soul and overall physical healing.

Need to rise, recuperate and bounce back soon with a heart full of melodies… pic.twitter.com/nSk0QioC05 — Amaal Mallik (@AmaalMallik) August 27, 2026

The Bigg Boss 19 contestant further revealed that he will not be composing new songs for films until next year. However, his existing unreleased tracks could still be heard by audiences if the films they were created for eventually release.

Amaal also explained that some of these projects are smaller-budget films that were made with good intentions but have faced difficulties in securing theatrical releases. This has left him uncertain about when, or whether, some of the songs will eventually reach listeners.

While requesting fans to respect his privacy, Amaal wrote, “Please request you not to pester me any further. Will update as I get to know.”

Reflecting on his journey, he signed off on an emotional note: “My journey from music to cinema has taken me a long way; now, I'm starting to head back towards music... Bid me farewell now, I'll be back. Anyway, signing off for a bitâ.”

He ended his message by referring to his recent work, signing off as “The Creator of ‘Yeh Awarapan’.”

Fans extend support to Amaal Mallik

Following the announcement, fans took to the comments section to express their support. Many said they would miss his music but encouraged him to take the time he needs to rest and recover.

Several followers reminded Amaal that his health should come first and assured him that they would continue to wait for his return. For now, the composer is stepping away from film music, but his message suggests that the break is temporary. Amaal has indicated that he plans to return when he feels ready, with a renewed focus on music and his well-being.

Also Read : Amaal Mallik launches indirect scathing attack on Tanishk Bagchi: “You’re a bloody thief”

The box office can be highly unpredictable, as was recently demonstrated by the Chinese film Niu Lai. The animated venture released on August 5 and initially struggled to find an audience. But 10 days later, something extraordinary happened. Word spread on social media in China about its low-quality animation and unintentionally hilarious moments. As a result, from August 15, audiences began thronging cinemas, largely to laugh at the film’s absurd goings-on with their friends. Numerous videos have since gone viral showing moviegoers having a gala time, laughing out loud and even hooting at some of the film’s bizarre scenes.

In no time, Niu Lai entered the FOMO zone, with audiences feeling an increasing urgency to experience the film for themselves. As curiosity grew, the number of shows increased and so did its box office collections. At the same time, the film earned a degree of admiration after viewers learnt that it had been painstakingly made over five years by a mother-son duo, who were reportedly the only crew members. Another aspect that struck a chord was their decision not to use AI to enhance or fine-tune the animation. Ironically, several social media users later uploaded AI-enhanced versions of scenes to show how much better the animation could have looked. Yet, that only seemed to strengthen the appreciation for Niu Lai: despite its visibly low-quality animation, audiences respected the sheer human effort behind it, especially at a time when AI-generated art has become increasingly commonplace.

Clip from Movie Niulai. https://t.co/Y5jsAGpfV3 pic.twitter.com/0EbEfEFi3D — Record GBA (@RecordGBA) August 16, 2026

Nevertheless, one can safely say that 10% of the audience appreciated Niu Lai and even watched it on the big screen for these reasons. But largely, audiences entered the multiplex to laugh over the film’s content and animation.

Even Bollywood has produced films that were in the so-bad-that-its-so-good category. A few examples of such films are Gunda (1998), Jaani Dushman (2001), Deshdrohi (2008) etc. However, all these three films bombed at the box office. They found a life later on YouTube and then social media turned them into something else.

$1,000 TO $850,000 IN DAYS A Chinese animated movie went viral because people mocked how bad it looked - then paid to see it themselves.

It made just ~$1,000 in its first 10 days. Now it has passed ~$850,000.

- Made by a mother and son over 5 years - Meanwhile, The Odyssey has… https://t.co/XioapgadPu pic.twitter.com/ZZruBeubrm

— BuBBliK (@k1rallik) August 16, 2026

In other words, they came at a time when social media was non-existent. Niu Lai would have also sank without a trace had it been released in the 2000s. But it had a major advantage that it arrived at a time when social media is thriving. It is thanks to TikTok and other apps that netizens learned about the film and its substandard quality. It's on social media that these videos went viral and thus reached millions of people. In turn, it made viewers curious to check it out.

As a result, we believe that even Gunda, Jaani Dushman and Deshdrohi might have had a far more positive box office outcome had they been released in 2026. Gunda arrived in cinemas in 1998 and was largely dismissed as just another low-grade Mithun Chakraborty film of the kind he frequently did in that era. However, around 7-8 years later, it was rediscovered by a younger audience, who were amused by its bizarre characters, many of whom spoke in rhymes loaded with double entendres. Mithun Chakraborty, meanwhile, plays a coolie who, for some inexplicable reason, is seen at an airport rather than a railway station. One of the film’s most iconic scenes has Mithun taking cover behind a bicycle during a shootout, a hilariously futile attempt at protecting himself from bullets!

Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, meanwhile, had huge names like Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Manisha Koirala, Aftab Shivdasani, Rambha, Sharad Kapoor etc. and it marked the debut of singh Sonu Nigam. Armaan Kohli was re-launched with this film, which was made by his father, Rajkumar Kohli. The film is a revenge drama of a snake-woman and is special effects heavy. However, the script and execution were poor and a few scenes, especially revolving around molestation, have received lot of criticism in today's times.

But the goings-on in the film are absolutely absurd. Moreover, to see reputed actors working in such a film adds to the amusement. The film also stars Rajat Bedi, whose dialogue ‘Sabki izzat karenge toh lootenge kiski’ has achieved iconic status in the world of memes.

Finally, Deshdrohi is written and produced by Kamaal Rashid Khan and he also stars in the lead. It stars respected names like Gracy Singh, Aman Verma, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Kader Khan, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Raza Murad etc. The execution is very poor, while the performance of the lead actor got a lot of ridicule. Bhojpuri star turned MP, Manoj Tiwari, has a supporting role and one of his scenes have become cult.

These films got a new lease of life only after they bombed in cinemas. Had they been released in today’s social media era, that might not have been the case. Much like Niu Lai, users on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) would likely have uploaded clips of some of their most outrageous and unintentionally funny sequences. These videos could have gone viral, making audiences curious enough to experience the films on the big screen.

In no time, social media might have been flooded with videos of viewers laughing and hooting when Mukesh Rishi in Gunda says, ‘Mera naam hai Bulla, rakhta hoon khullaaaaaa’, or when Kamaal Rashid Khan in Deshdrohi mouths the now-iconic line, ‘Arre kaunsa shooter? Kaisa shooter? Yeh toh apna dost Shekhar hai’, followed by his unintentionally comic reaction after being shot by his best friend. Several scenes from Jaani Dushman would likely have triggered similar reactions inside theatres.

Had Gunda, Jaani Dushman or Deshdrohi released in today’s peak social media era, it is not impossible to imagine them crossing the Rs. 100 crore mark and even emerging among the biggest hits of the year. Of course, the success would have come for all the wrong reasons. But as Niu Lai has shown, in the age of memes, virality and FOMO, even ridicule can translate into serious box office numbers.

Jackie Shroff is set to appear in The Great Grand Superhero, a family entertainer that explores the special relationship between children and their grandparents. The film had its world digital premiere on KidZ on ZEE5 on August 21, 2026, bringing a heartwarming story to young viewers and families.

In the film, Jackie Shroff plays a grandfather who becomes a superhero in the eyes of the children around him. The role allowed the actor to explore the emotional bond between grandparents and grandchildren while portraying a character who fulfils a child’s dream of seeing his grandfather as a real-life superhero.

Speaking about what attracted him to the film and his character with Filmfare, Shroff said, “Every child thinks of their father or grandfather as a superhero. To be able to portray that kind of warmth on screen gave me a very beautiful, soulful feeling. Being surrounded by so many children and playing their grandfather, while fulfilling their dream of seeing him as a superhero, felt really special. I don't think there can be anything greater than seeing a child have a dream and then watching that dream come true. That feeling was very special to me.”

The film also arrives at a time when audiences continue to look for stories that offer warmth and positivity. For Shroff, films that focus on family, hope and simple emotions can have a meaningful impact, especially during difficult times.

Explaining why such stories matter, the actor compared positivity in challenging circumstances to the importance of a lamp in darkness. He said, “In darkness, even a small lamp feels like a source of light. If you light a lamp in bright sunlight, its importance isn't really felt. But when there is darkness and you cannot see anything, even a small light becomes very valuable. I think that's what films like The Great Grand Superhero can do. When there is darkness around us, even a little bit of light, warmth and positivity can make a big difference.”

Also Read : Manish Saini on why Jackie Shroff was the perfect fit for The Great Grand Superhero; says, “He is like a child himself”