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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.

Deregulation, or the Hard Road to 2047

Updated: Feb 20, 2025

Growth at 8 percent for a decade is an ambitious target, and India will have to rethink regulation, industry and policy to get there.

Deregulation

The eve of the Union Budget presentation is typically overshadowed by the spectacle of fiscal numbers. That critical document - the Economic Survey - offers a more nuanced portrait of India’s economic trajectory. The ES typically provides an in-depth assessment of the country’s economic performance, outlines key structural challenges and proposes policy imperatives for the future.


This year’s Survey situates itself within the grand ambitions of the Vikisit Bharat Mission, which envisions India as a developed nation by 2047. But the gap between aspiration and reality is stark. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) defines a developed economy as one with a per capita income of $12,500. India currently lags at a mere $2,939. To bridge this divide, the Survey argues, India must sustain an annual growth rate of 8 percent for the next decade - an acceleration of at least 1.5 to 2 percentage points from its present trajectory. A formidable challenge, but not an impossible one.


Achieving this will require a fundamental transformation of India’s economic structure. The ES identifies key drivers for this transition: full literacy, high-quality education, a thriving industrial base and an aggressive embrace of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology. Employment generation is critical, with the creation of at least 7.85 million non-farm jobs annually to absorb its growing workforce. The services sector has performed well, but manufacturing remains an Achilles’ heel. Investments currently stand at 31 percent of GDP, well below the 35 percent threshold necessary to sustain higher growth. Moreover, a robust social infrastructure, particularly in healthcare, is crucial to sustaining human capital and productivity.


The Survey issues a stark warning about China’s growing dominance. China currently commands a staggering 28.8 percent of global manufacturing output, a figure projected to rise to 45 percent by 2030. In contrast, India’s share is a paltry 2.8 percent. The implications are profound: India struggles to produce critical goods at scale and remains heavily dependent on Chinese supply chains, particularly in renewable energy and electric vehicle components. This vulnerability exposes the economy to price fluctuations, supply disruptions and currency risks.


The solution lies in the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Strengthening domestic manufacturing and boosting exports are non-negotiable if India is to emerge as a serious contender on the world stage. However, industrial growth cannot flourish in a regulatory quagmire. The Survey underscores the need for bold deregulation to enhance ease of doing business. Excessive red tape stifles entrepreneurship, deters investment and inflates operational costs. The government has made progress, scrapping over 2,000 obsolete laws over the past decade, implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and introducing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. More recently, the Jan Vishwas Act of 2023 decriminalized 183 provisions across 182 central laws, easing the compliance burden on businesses.


The upcoming Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 is set to decriminalize 100 more provisions across various laws. Additionally, a high-level committee will review regulatory bottlenecks in the non-financial sector, with an Investment Friendliness Index benchmarking state industry practice. If executed effectively, these measures could catalyse industrial expansion and foreign investment.


However, regulatory reform is not the sole preserve of the central government. State governments must align with the broader deregulation agenda, prioritizing economic growth over political posturing. The Survey emphasizes the butterfly effect of deregulation where incremental improvements in regulatory efficiency trigger a cascade of economic benefits, from increased entrepreneurship to heightened global competitiveness. States that recognize this dynamic will reap the rewards of higher investment and job creation.


That said, legal reform alone is insufficient. India must undergo a cultural shift in its perception of business. Decades of socialist rhetoric have ingrained deep-seated scepticism towards large enterprises, often painting them as instruments of exploitation. Business leaders are frequently vilified for political convenience, a mindset that stifles ambition and discourages risk-taking. If India is to become a global economic powerhouse, it must abandon these outdated prejudices and embrace a more business-friendly ethos.


The road to 2047 is long, and the 8 percent growth imperative is daunting. Success hinges on policy consistency, regulatory agility and an unwavering commitment to economic openness. India’s tryst with destiny is not guaranteed but with the right reforms, it is well within reach.

(The author is a Chartered Accountant and works at Authomotive Division of Mahindra and Mahindra Limited. Views personal.)

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