Producer Deepak Mukut who was earlier associated with Zee rose to the bait for the first time to reports suggesting that he has parted with the rights of film Nayak to Anil Kapoor for a proposed sequel. Amid putting to rest the speculation, Mukut opened up in a review that the sequel is in the developing stage jointly and that there has been no standalone transfer of rights.
He voiced his inability to talk much but can only say that they are doing it together and are fine with all the rumours and under process. They will announce it shortly.
While opening up on revisiting the 2001 political drama, the producer stressed the emotional and cultural weight attached to Nayak. “It is a legacy project and its been almost 25 years. Every film has its own destiny. When the time comes, it happens. And they realised it is a good time to do it now. Anil Kapoor and he had an understanding and are doing it together, beyond that he won’t be able to open up.
When asked about timelines, Mukut was clear that the makers are proceeding cautiously. Nayak is a big legacy so they will only mount the sets when everything is fixed. They are trying for this year.
The S Shankar’s directorial Nayak: The Real Hero featured Anil Kapoor in the role of Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, a television cameraman unexpectedly sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a day, only to take on systemic corruption with sweeping reforms. The film also featured Rani Mukerji, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal and Johnny Lever in pivotal roles. An official remake of Shankar’s Tamil blockbuster Mudhalvan released in 1999 and over the years Nayak went on to gain a cult following.
While talks of a sequel have surfaced multiple times over the years, the issue of who currently holds the rights to Nayak remains ambiguous, with neither side spelling out the exact legal ownership. For now, Mukut maintains that the sequel is a collaborative effort and that an official announcement will be made once the groundwork is complete.
News Edit KV Raman
