Shahid Kapoor’s next with hit filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar has been creating a lot of buzz even before it was officially announced. Fans are quite excited about Kapoor’s maiden collaboration with the director of such blockbusters as Sultan (2016), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and Bharat (2019) and are waiting for the film with bated breath.
Now, Shahid Kapoor has confirmed that the action film with Zafar is complete and they are hoping to release it sometime this year.
Presented by Jio Studios in association with Zafar's AAZ Films, Offside Entertainment, and The Vermillion World, the film is billed as a “stylised relentless action-packed ride”.
Talking about the yet-untitled project, Shahid said the film is a departure from the “typical” action movies. “Ali’s film is ready. It is a kind of action that I have not done before. It is new for me and him. It is an edgy action, not like the typical one, it has a quirk to it,” the actor, who has previously starred in action films such as Kaminey (2009) and R... Rajkumar (2013), said.
“It (doing action) is very tiring and I have lost a lot of weight. I had a great time working on it. Ali and I have known each other for a decade and we decided to collaborate on this. It will come out this year,” Kapoor told PTI.
Apart from Zafar’s film, the 41-year-old actor is set to make his OTT debut with a Prime Video series from The Family Man creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK. The show is an interesting and exciting project, he said, calling it a “quirky crime drama”.
Last year, Kapoor was also signed to play a paratrooper in an action film titled Bull, inspired by events from the life of Brigadier Bulsara. Set in the 1980s, the film marks the directorial debut of Aditya Nimbalkar, who has worked extensively with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. The actor said the logistical details on Bull are still being worked out.
“Bull is still later in the future. It might not happen immediately. It's just a few logistical things that need to be worked out. It is not on agenda right now,” he added.
Kapoor is currently awaiting the release of Jersey, a Hindi remake of the National Award-winning Telugu sports drama of the same name.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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