Sunny Deol fronts new Pan-India action thriller from top industry powerhouses A new action thriller backed by Excel Entertainment has officially gone on floors, marking the first collaboration between producers Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar and filmmaker A. R. Murugadoss with actor Sunny Deol. The yet-to-be-titled action thriller began filming on Friday, 27th February 2026, and the shoot is currently underway. The film also stars Jyotika in a pivotal role alongside Sunny Deol. Riding high on the success of Border 2, Sunny has reportedly dedicated his dates to complete this project during the summer of 2026. The film will be directed by debutant Balaji Ganesh, a Chennai-based filmmaker who has long worked as co-director with A. R. Murugadoss. Having been closely involved in story development, direction, and large-scale productions, Balaji now steps into the spotlight with his feature directorial debut, which is being positioned as a suspense-driven action thriller. The project brings together several industry names behind the scenes as well. The theatrical is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar and A. R. Murugadoss, with Kassim Jagmagia, Vishal Ramchandani, Aditya Joshi, Sunnil Jain and Yusuf Shaikh serving as co-producers. With a powerful production team, an experienced lead actor, and a fresh directorial voice, the film aims to deliver a large-scale action spectacle while introducing a new storytelling perspective to the genre. Also Read: Sunny Deol starrer G... #Sunny_Deol #Sunny #Excel_Entertainment #Farhan_Akhtar #Ritesh_Sidhwani #Deol #Deol_fronts #action_thriller #producers_Ritesh #thriller_backed

Ritesh Sidhwani to attend BAFTA 2026 as Excel Entertainment’s Boong earns nomination Excel Entertainment co-founder Ritesh Sidhwani is set to be part of the guest list at the 79th EE BAFTA Film Awards 2026, scheduled to take place in London on February 22. The BAFTAs, hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, remain one of the biggest nights in world cinema, drawing top names from across industries. This year, Sidhwani will reportedly be attending alongside a star-studded mix of Indian and international faces. The guest line-up is said to include Alia Bhatt and Riz Ahmed, while Hollywood heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan and Cillian Murphy are also expected to be present. Other names mentioned among the attendees include Marc Robinson, Adam Willis, Lauren Evans, Lee Groombridge, Nicolas Gonda and Charlie Noble. Sidhwani’s presence at the ceremony comes at a time when Indian production houses are increasingly gaining recognition on global platforms. For Excel Entertainment, the BAFTA buzz is even more relevant this year as the banner’s film Boong has reportedly secured a nomination in the Best Children’s and Family Film category. With the BAFTAs often serving as a key stage for international networking and industry spotlight, Sidhwani’s attendance is being viewed as another indicator of Excel Entertainment’s expanding global ambitions. The nomination for Boong further adds weight to the moment, signalling how Indian-backed projects a... #Film #Excel_Entertainment #Ritesh_Sidhwani #Film_Awards #co-founder_Ritesh #Ritesh #Television_Arts #Entertainment_co-founder #British_Academy #BAFTA_Film

SCOOP: Ranveer Singh cites Baiju Bawra 'no compensation' experience in Don 3 showdown; brings up Shah Rukh Khan angle over Rs. 40 cr demand Yesterday, Bollywood Hungama reported on what happened at the meeting between Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment and Ranveer Singh after the latter walked out of Don 3. Both parties blamed each other for various reasons. Bollywood Hungama had earlier reported the key developments from the meeting in detail. Now, a reliable source has revealed another important point that was discussed. The source told Bollywood Hungama, “The bone of contention was that Ranveer Singh should pay Rs. 40 crores to Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani for the losses incurred in the pre-production of the film. Ranveer argued that he was not liable to pay as he had not taken a single paisa from the producers. Hence, paying back such a hefty amount was out of the question. ”The source continued, “Ranveer Singh also pointed out that he was to work in a film called Baiju Bawra, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He prepped for the challenging role for almost a year and turned down several films as a result. Ultimately, Baiju Bawra was shelved and Sanjay Leela Bhansali then began working on Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal. Ranveer revealed that he was not compensated for the year he spent preparing for the role. He further argued that it’s the nature of the business – at times, films don’t get made or... #Singh_cites #Rukh_Khan #Shah_Rukh #Bollywood_Hungama #Ranveer_Singh #Excel_Entertainment #Khan_angle #Baiju_Bawra #Farhan_Akhtar #Ritesh_Sidhwani
