top of page

By:

Bharati Dubey

17 May 2026 at 1:38:10 am

After Don-3 controversy, Ranveer’s next film goes on floors

Mumbai: After months of attention surrounding his reported exit from Don 3, Ranveer Singh has finally moved on to his next major cinematic venture. The actor’s ambitious survival spectacle Pralay has officially gone on floors in Mumbai today, marking the beginning of filming on one of the most ambitious and scale-driven projects in Indian cinema. Headlined by Ranveer Singh and directed by Jai Mehta, Pralay is an original end-of-the-world action thriller that promises to take audiences into a...

After Don-3 controversy, Ranveer’s next film goes on floors

Mumbai: After months of attention surrounding his reported exit from Don 3, Ranveer Singh has finally moved on to his next major cinematic venture. The actor’s ambitious survival spectacle Pralay has officially gone on floors in Mumbai today, marking the beginning of filming on one of the most ambitious and scale-driven projects in Indian cinema. Headlined by Ranveer Singh and directed by Jai Mehta, Pralay is an original end-of-the-world action thriller that promises to take audiences into a world on the brink of annihilation. Produced by Ananya Birla’s Birla Studios, Hansal Mehta and Sahil Saigal’s True Story Films, and Maa Kasam Films, the film combines large-scale spectacle with a deeply human story of survival, courage and the instinct to fight for what matters most. The film marks Ranveer’s next major motion picture following Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar – The Revenge, which emerged as the highest-grossing film of all time. With Pralay, the actor once again ventures into unexplored cinematic territory, taking on a disruptive new concept that demands both physical intensity and emotional conviction. Ranveer will also serve as a producer on the film. The project comes at an important point in the actor’s career. His reported exit from Don 3 had generated considerable buzz, particularly as he was expected to carry forward one of Indian cinema’s most iconic franchises. With Pralay, Ranveer now turns the page with an entirely original story rather than stepping into another established universe. Joining him is Lokah breakout actress Kalyani Priyadarshan, who plays a pivotal role in the film and brings together another exciting performer from the new generation of Indian talent. For Ananya Birla, Pralay represents Birla Studios’ ambition to push the boundaries of mainstream Indian cinema by collaborating with contemporary creative forces. For True Story Films’ Hansal Mehta and Sahil Saigal, the project reflects their commitment to disruptive storytelling and content-driven cinema. Behind the camera, Jai Mehta leads the ambitious project. His work on Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, which he co-directed with Hansal Mehta, and Lootere has earned widespread acclaim. With Pralay, he steps into a significantly larger canvas, bringing together an ensemble of creative and technical talent from India and around the world. Set against the unmistakable pulse and landscape of Mumbai, Pralay follows a relentless journey of survival against the terrifying possibility of an end-of-the-world catastrophe. The film aims to marry breathtaking spectacle with an emotional core, exploring what people are willing to do to survive when the world as they know it begins to collapse. The makers are shooting extensively at live locations in and around Mumbai, embracing the physicality and unpredictability of real-world environments. The approach is designed to add scale, texture and realism to the apocalyptic world while creating an immersive theatrical experience. The film had already undergone several months of highly technical and intensive pre-production before cameras began rolling. Its ambitious mounting and unusual premise have made Pralay one of the most talked-about upcoming projects in Indian cinema.

Apolitical Agencies?

The recent exoneration of ICICI Bank and NDTV promoters in a 2017 case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be cause for relief, but it casts a harsh spotlight on a disturbing pattern: the strategic use of state apparatus to target dissenting voices. After nearly seven years of probing and a forensic audit, the CBI concluded there was no collusion, no abuse of position, and no merit to the allegations. This raises the profound question as to why were these individuals targeted in the first place?


The NDTV case is emblematic of an increasingly prevalent practice in India’s political and economic landscape - the use of investigative agencies as instruments of pressure. In this instance, the scrutiny of the promoters, Prannoy and Radhika Roy, seemed to align with a pattern witnessed in the past decade: journalists, media houses, and corporations that exhibit independence or defiance of government orthodoxy find themselves subject to investigations that, more often than not, culminate in a whimper rather than a bang.


The invocation of agencies like the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Income Tax Department has become a familiar lever in the apparatus of power. These bodies, mandated to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law, risk eroding their legitimacy when perceived as cudgels wielded for political ends. This undermines both democratic norms and investor confidence—cornerstones essential for any economy aspiring to global influence.


The NDTV case is emblematic of an increasingly prevalent practice in India’s political and economic landscape—the use of investigative agencies as instruments of pressure. In this instance, the scrutiny of the promoters, Prannoy and Radhika Roy, seemed to align with a pattern witnessed in the past decade: journalists, media houses, and corporations that exhibit independence or defiance of government orthodoxy find themselves subject to investigations that, more often than not, culminate in a whimper rather than a bang.


The case against the Roys and NDTV served as an illustrative test of media independence. Critics argue that it was no coincidence the network’s editorial line had, at times, run counter to prevailing government narratives.


The routine deployment of financial and regulatory probes not only intimidates but also diverts attention from real policy challenges. The energy spent on legal theatrics drains both the targets and the agencies themselves, diverting resources from addressing substantive issues such as financial frauds that genuinely merit investigation. Besides, if the objective central government was to exert pressure, then it has had the boomerang effect of casting the Roys as inadvertent martyrs in the battle for journalistic freedom. Reforming the framework within which agencies operate is essential to arresting this trend. Structural and procedural independence, coupled with robust oversight mechanisms, could insulate investigative bodies from political tugs-of-war. Until then, the exoneration of ICICI Bank and NDTV’s promoters will serve as a bittersweet reminder that innocence is no bulwark against being drawn into the machinery of power politics.

Comments

bottom of page