You can count on Jackie Shroff being part of the Khal Nayak fold again. For those who have the 1993 original in their memory, it’s good news. He has put it out there that he will be with Sanjay Dutt in the sequel, a move that is as much about nostalgia as it is about giving the public what they’ve been after for some time.
Jackie Shroff confirms comeback
Shroff was plain about it in a sit-down the other day. He found the whole thing a lot of fun and has had his say with the people making the film happen.
And don’t think you won’t be seeing his brand of law-and-order. ‘100% The Commissioner has to be there, right?’ is how he put it.
What Jackie said about Sanjay Dutt
For Shroff, being back in the franchise is a win on all fronts. ‘Excellent! I’m waiting for it,’ he told us. There is a warmth to him when he talks of Sanjay Dutt: ‘It’s nice to be with friends.’
He has already been in touch with Subhash Ghai and Dutt, so there is some movement here.
Why this pairing matters now
There is a certain draw to Shroff and Dutt for the crowd that was around when we had our share of anti-heroes. They made 90s Bollywood what it was with their tussle in Khal Nayak. To have them in the same room is not just a casting decision; for the ones who know the film, it’s a must-see.
If you go back to the one Subhash Ghai put together, you had Dutt as Ballu, Shroff as Officer Ram and Madhuri Dixit in her role as Ganga, the undercover type.
It was a movie that left a mark, too – the second top-earner in Hindi for the year and one of the few that could be called a true hit back then.
The road to Khalnayak Returns
Dutt has been the one making the most noise about it, and he is firm on one thing: you can’t do it without Subhash Ghai. ‘He is a legend and a man of entertainment. He will be part of this Khalnayak,’ Dutt says, noting the long road to get here.
On the business side, Dutt’s Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Aksha Kamboj’s Aspect Entertainment have made sure they have the rights from Ghai and Mukta Arts to put this in motion.
Funny enough, Dutt says the idea got its start while he was in jail over the 1993 Mumbai blast case. ‘I put it to the 4,000 inmates and they all said they would want to see it,’ he remembers.
So he had them put it on paper. ‘I asked for a page from each of them and it was a while before I got through 4,000 of them. Once I was on parole, I let Subhash sir have a look. He said we should make it.’
What is confirmed, and what is not
At the moment, the hard facts are that Shroff is in, he’s with Dutt, and the rights are tied up. As for the rest of the story or who is in the director’s chair, you’ll have to wait and see.
Here is what we know for sure:
– You will see Jackie in the new one
– A on-screen reunion with Sanjay is in the cards
– We have the green light from Subhash Ghai and Mukta Arts
Why fans are watching closely
It is more than a name on a poster. These are the characters that defined a time. The way Dutt’s Ballu and Shroff’s Ram played off one another is still talked about, and you can add in their own chemistry to the mix.
Sure, there is the old-timey appeal, but the question is whether the new one can hold its own like the original did over 30 years in.
What comes next
The word is to expect some more from the team as they put the pieces in order. With Shroff in and Dutt at the helm with Ghai, the legacy is covered.
Jackie’s ‘100%’ is all the sign you need for now. We are turning the page on Khal Nayak, with the old sparring partners on the same side of things.
