From Priyadarshan to Ram Gopal Varma, 11 Directors Returning to Hindi Cinema After a Long Hiatus

Filmmakers should prioritize breaks between projects to stay away from burnout and ensure creative vitality. Time away from the sets is essential to recharge. It allows directors to return to the director’s chair with a fresh perspective. But these breaks are not always voluntary or short term. Here, we look at directors who are helming projects after a minimum five-year hiatus. Some have struggled to put together a project for years, while others haven’t found a subject to lure them back on a film set. In 2026, many directors are making their way back to theatres with new projects, promising a variety of emotions, twists, actions, romance and tons of dramatic moments. Let’s take a look:

1. Shimit Amin - 'Captain India'

Shimit Amin, who has been out of movies for over 15 years, is finally making his comeback. The filmmaker, widely known for helming Shah Rukh Khan’s "Chak De! India" (2007) and Ranbir Kapoor’s "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" (2009), is set to direct an aviation action drama starring Kartik Aaryan in the lead. The film is based on one of India’s rescue missions from a war-torn country, with Kartik playing an Air Force pilot who spearheaded this mission. Produced by Harman Baweja, the film goes on floors around March-April 2026 and will largely be shot in India and Morocco. Break Duration: 17 Years

2. Priyadarshan - 'Bhoot Bangla,' 'Haiwan'

The legendary Malayalam filmmaker returns to Hindi cinema after five years with two films, both starring Akshay Kumar. First one is "Bhooth Bangla," a horror-comedy which also stars Wamiqa Gabbi, Vidya Balan and Paresh Rawal in pivotal roles. This film marks his return to the genre after delivering a classic with "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" (2007) nearly 19 years ago. Priyadarshan will follow that up with "Haiwaan", a neo-noir crime thriller adapted from Priyadarshan’s own 2016 Malayalam film, "Oppum". Saif Ali Khan stars as a visually impaired man while Akshay plays the antagonist in this film, slated to release sometime in mid-2026. Break Duration: 13 Years

3. Ram Gopal Varma - 'Police Station Mein Bhoot'

The "Satya" (1998) director reunites with Manoj Bajpayee for horror-comedy, "Police Station Mein Bhoot," about an honest police officer who gets possessed by a gangster’s spirit. Genelia Deshmukh and Rajpal Yadav also star in this film, set to release in cinemas in mid-2026. This film will mark Ram Gopal Varma’s comeback to Hindi cinema after nine years. Additionally, the director is in negotiations for "Sarkar 4," though it’s yet to be locked. Break Duration: 9 Years

4. Nitin Kakkar - 'Awarapan 2'

Nitin Kakkar teams up with Emraan Hashmi for what is one of the most anticipated films of this year. "Awarapan 2," also starring Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi, marks his return to direction five years after winning everyone’s hearts with Kumud Mishra’s "Ram Singh Charlie" (2020) about an artist who impersonates Charlie Champlin in a traveling circus. Kakkar also directed the National Award-winning "Filmistaan" (2012), and Saif Ali Khan’s rom-com, "Jawani Jaaneman" (2020). Break Duration: 6 Years

5. Apoorva Lakhia — 'Battle of Galwan'

Apoorva, who has previously directed films like "Shootout At Lokhandwala" (2007), "Zanjeer" (2013) and "Haseena Parker" (2017), returns to feature film direction with the biggest film of his career. He directs Salman Khan in "Battle of Galwan," based on the 2020 Galwan valley clash. Salman will step into the shoes of late Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of the Bihar Regiment, in this large-scale patriotic action drama. Shooting is currently underway and the film is expected to release in April 2026. Break Duration: 9 Years

6. Kunal Deshmukh —  'Diler'
Kunal Deshmukh, widely known for his musical blockbusters like "Jannat" (2008), "Jannat 2" (2012) and "Tum Mile" (2009), is coming back with his next after five years. He is directing Ibrahim Ali Khan and Sreeleela in Maddock Films’ upcoming love story, titled "Diler." Shooting has nearly finished and it’s expected to release in cinemas in the first half of 2026. Break Duration: 12 Years



7. David Dhawan — 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai'
The legendary filmmaker, who has only been working with his son Varun Dhawan off late, continues that tradition with "Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai." The romantic comedy stars Varun, Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur in lead roles and is set to hit cinemas on June 5, 2026. The film will mark David Dhawan’s return to direction after six years. His last feature was "Coolie No.1" (2021) which received heavy criticism over its poor screenplay and VFX. Break Duration: 6 Years 

8. Vipul Amrutlal Shah — 'Hisaab'
After spending the last few years producing films such as "Commando" franchise, "The Kerala Story" (2023), "Sanak" (2021) and "Bastar: The Naxal Story" (2024), Vipul Amrutlal Shah returns to direction with a heist thriller, "Hisaab." Starring Jaideep Ahlawat, Shefali Shah and Abhishek Banerjee, the film is defined as a suspense thriller loaded with twists and turns, dramatic moments and intriguing characters with varied motives. Although Vipul also directed two web shows, "Human" (2022) and "Commando" (2023), this film will mark his return to feature direction after eight years. His last theatrical directorial film was "Namaste England" (2018) starring Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra. Break Duration: 8 Years

9. Shekhar Kapur — 'Masoom: The New Generation'
"Mr. India" (1987) and "Bandit Queen" (1994) director Shekhar Kapur is set to return to a Hindi movie set after more than three decades. He gears up to helm a sequel to his debut directorial, "Masoom" (1983), with Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi reprising their roles and Manoj Bajpayee, Kaveri Kapur and Nithya Menon joining as new leads. The film is expected to go on floors mid-this year. Break Duration: 31 Years

10. Varun V. Sharma — 'Parivarik Manuranjan'
After assisting Ali Abbas Zafar on "Tiger Zinda Hai" (2017) and co-writing his 2019 film, "Bharat," Varun V. Sharma forayed into direction with Yash Raj Films’ "Bunty Aur Babli 2" (2021). Five years later, he returns with "Parivarik Manuranjan," a family entertainer starring Pankaj Tripathi and Aditi Rao Hydari playing a “perfectly mismatched duo”. Produced by Vinod Bhanushali and Himanshu Mehra, the film is expected to be filled with love, laughter, music and chaos. Break Duration: 5 Years

11. Jagan Shakti — 'Ranger'
Jagan Shakti attempted to make many films after the success of "Mission Mangal" (2019), but every project fell apart for various reasons. He finally returns to direction after seven years with Ranger, a jungle-adventure film starring Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt and Tamannaah Bhatia. Based on Aseem Arora and Richa Ganesh’s 2008 book of the same name, the film is set in an exhilarating world that intertwines high-octane action with the emotional depth of wildlife and nature conservation. Produced by Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg under Luv Films, the film is scheduled to release in theatres on December 4, 2026. Break Duration: 7 Years