After tasting success with such productions as Kedarnath (2018) and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies is ready to set foot in the digital space. The company has joined hands with Premnath Rajagopalan of Blue Monkey Films for a multi-season espionage thriller series titled Panthers.
Filmmaker Rensil D’Silva, who is presently waiting for the direct-to-digital release of his thriller Dial 100, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Neena Gupta and Sakshi Tanwar, has been tapped to direct and showrun the upcoming streaming show.
The multi-season series stays raw and rooted to the Indo-Pak spy games of the late 60s and early 70s. A major highlight of the series is the conspiracy surrounding the hijack of a plane flown by Rajiv Gandhi, son of the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in 1971. Rajiv Gandhi would later become Prime Minister after the assassination of his mother in 1984.
Panthers is the story of India’s burgeoning spy agency against a politically volatile setting,” said Screwvala. “It is as eye-opening as it is gripping and boasts of the right balance of realism and entertainment, making it the perfect project for us at RSVP to get behind. Rensil is the right man at the helm of this one.”
D’Silva said, “The nation is embracing true stories like never before. All the covert operations mentioned in ‘Panthers’ have taken place in real life. This series is a tribute to the daring feats of the RAW agency before it ascended to legendary status.”
“The series is all about cloak and dagger games played between nations,” said producer Mukesh Radha Krishna Tak. “It is the saga of our faceless men and women, living and dying in the shadows with courage, determination and valour.”
Rajagopalan added: “We at Blue Monkey Films are excited to further our association with Ronnie and RSVP as they have long been associated with clutter-breaking and riveting content.”
The series will go before cameras in the first quarter of 2022.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.