Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta is known for helming a series of gangster drams over the years. Kaante (2002), Musafir (2004) and Shootout At Lokhandwala (2007) are some of the high-octane gangster films which established him as one of the finest filmmakers in this genre.
Shootout At Lokhandwala, starring Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Tusshar Kapoor, Rohit Roy, Amitabh Bachchan and Dia Mirza, is one of the most successful films of Gupta’s filmmaker career.
After the humongous success of the movie, Gupta decided to develop it into a franchise and came up with its sequel Shootout At Wadala in the year 2013. Starring John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut in important roles, the sequel turned out to be an even bigger hit at the box-office.
If reports are to be believed, Sanjay Gupta is now planning to bring a third instalment to the franchise. A source confirmed the development to a portal. “Sanjay Gupta will be continuing the third instalment of the Shootout franchise. The film will be backed by Balaji Motion Pictures. The filmmaker will kick-start this after his current Mumbai Saga,” informs the source.
The filmmaker is, meanwhile, busy with the pre-production work of his next gangster film Mumbai Saga. T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar is bankrolling the project under his production house.
Mumbai Saga, which was officially announced a couple of months ago, is set in the 1980’s-1990’s Mumbai. It boasts of an impressive line-up of actors including the likes of John Abraham, Emraan Hashmi, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty, Prateik Babbar, Gulshan Grover, Rohit Roy, and Amole Gupte.
"After 25 years and 17 films, I had to give my audience something bigger and better. Mumbai Saga is by far my most ambitious film which needed a visionary producer," Gupta had earlier said in a statement.
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.