Feb 04, 2026 12:12pm IST
Alia Bhatt to star in Drishyam 2 director Abhishek Pathak’s next, a high-concept drama (EXCLUSIVE)
After the spy actioner Alpha and the intense love story, Love & War, Alia Bhatt is taking it easy with her next project. Variety India has exclusively learned that Alia is teaming up with Drishyam 2 director Abhishek Pathak for a high-concept relationship drama, titled Housewife.
Alia will essay the role of a housewife in what’s being described as a topical narrative centered around a married couple. Rajkummar Rao is in negotiations to play the male lead, and although he has shown his interest, he is yet to be formally signed. If he comes on board, this will mark Alia and Rajkummar’s first on-screen collaboration together.
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Apart from playing the lead, Alia will also co-produce this film under her Eternal Sunshine Productions in collaboration with Abhishek Pathak’s Panorama Studios. The film is scheduled to go on floors around August-September 2026, after Pathak completes shooting for Drishyam 3, the final chapter of the Ajay Devgn-led family thriller franchise, Drishyam.
Last seen in Vasan Bala’s jailbreak thriller, Jigra, Alia has a packed release calendar this year. She will next feature as a super spy in Yash Raj Films’ first female-led espionage thriller, Alpha, and will follow that up with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period romance, Love & War, which is gearing up for a late 2026 release. Alia stars alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal in Bhansali’s love story, believed to be heavily influenced by Sangam (1964).
Additionally, Alia is also discussing several other projects to line up in 2027, including Maddock Films’ horror-comedy film, Chamunda. Alia was initially supposed to dive into this project immediately after Love & War, but the film has now been postponed as Dinesh Vijan's company is reworking its ambitious horror-comedy strategy following the underperformance of Thamma.
Meanwhile, Rajkummar has two Netflix films and the biopic of Ujjwal Nikam lined up this year. He is also said to be doing a film with Manoj Bajpayee, set to be directed by Shoojit Sircar.
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