Jun 25, 2026 2:04pm IST
Saif Ali Khan and Farhan Akhtar Reunite For A Thriller 25 Years After ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Twenty-five years after “Dil Chahta Hai” redefined modern Hindi cinema, a new collaboration is brewing between Saif Ali Khan and Farhan Akhtar. Variety India has exclusively learned that Khan is set to headline a thriller film for Ritesh Sidhwani and Akhtar's banner Excel Entertainment.
Details of the project are currently shrouded in secrecy, but sources describe the film as an intense, edge-of-the-seat thriller that delves into themes of morality, ethics and complex societal issues. Saif will star alongside a top female lead, though casting for the latter is still underway. Presently in the writing stage, the film is expected to go on floors by the end of this year. No director is attached yet.
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Khan, who shares a great personal and professional rapport with Farhan Akhtar, has already committed to this new film and is very excited to work with him again “Dil Chahta Hai”, a coming-of-age comedy drama which has since achieved cult status and is still widely celebrated for its fresh storytelling, memorable characters and contemporary sensibilities.
Recently seen as a police officer in Netflix India's “Kartavya”, Saif has two films lined up ahead: Priyadarshan's “Haiwaan” with Akshay Kumar, and Rahul Dholakia's historical Netflix film about India's First General Election.
Meanwhile, Excel Entertainment is lining up a solid slate of movies following its definitive deal with Universal Music India (UMI) earlier this year. Apart from the Saif Ali Khan project, the banner is also reuniting with another “Dil Chahta Hai” star Aamir Khan on Ashutosh Gowariker's upcoming ambitious sports drama based on the 1952 India-Pakistan Test Series. Farhan is also said to be playing a pivotal role in this yet-untitled film, scheduled to commence production in October 2026.
The slate also includes a high-octane, suspense-driven action thriller starring Sunny Deol and Jyothika, and a two-part mythological saga “Karna” directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The company's next theatrical release is “Mirzapur: The Movie,” the film adaptation of its widely popular Prime Video series, “Mirzapur.” Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyenndu, Abhishek Banerjee, Shweta Tripathi, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Rasika Duggal return to reprise their popular characters in this big-screen adaptation, slated to release in cinemas on September 4, 2026.
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