Bollywood Project Tracker: Manoj Bajpayee to Play Gandhi, Captain India Begins Shoot, Love & War Wraps
Manoj Bajpayee is preparing to play Mahatma Gandhi, Kartik Aaryan’s Captain India has begun filming, Love & War has wrapped, while Toxic faces reports of a steep OTT valuation decline.
Manoj Bajpayee, Kartik Aaryan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal representing major Bollywood project updates
Table of Contents (13 sections)
Bollywood’s September news cycle is moving well beyond the weekend box office.
Several major projects have reached important production milestones: Manoj Bajpayee is set to portray Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in a film directed by Sudhir Mishra; Kartik Aaryan’s long-delayed Captain India has finally begun shooting; and Sanjay Leela Bhansali has completed filming Love & War with Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal.
At the other end of the commercial spectrum, Yash’s Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups is facing reports of a dramatic decline in its digital-rights valuation following its weak theatrical performance.
However, the Toxic figure requires an important qualification.
Reports say an offer of around ₹30 crore has emerged for the movie’s digital rights after expectations reportedly stood much higher. This is not the same as confirmation that the OTT rights have been sold for ₹30 crore.
Here are the four developments that matter.
Table of Contents
Manoj Bajpayee to portray Mahatma Gandhi
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Sudhir Mishra begins filming in Lucknow
What the Gandhi film will explore
Captain India finally goes on the floor
Kartik Aaryan begins London schedule
Shimit Amin returns to film direction
Love & War completes filming
January 2027 release planned
Toxic faces reported OTT valuation problem
Why the ₹30-crore number needs caution
What these developments tell us about Bollywood
Key takeaway
Manoj Bajpayee to Play Mahatma Gandhi
Manoj Bajpayee is set to portray Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in his career in filmmaker Sudhir Mishra’s upcoming project.
The film currently has the working title Gandhi and My Mother, according to current reporting.
Rather than attempting to cover Gandhi’s entire life in a conventional cradle-to-death biopic, the film is expected to focus on a crucial 21-day period around India’s independence.
That narrower approach could allow the story to concentrate on particular choices, pressures and events rather than compressing decades of history into one film.
Filming has already begun in Lucknow.
Sudhir Mishra’s Personal Connection
Director Sudhir Mishra reportedly has a personal connection to the material.
Anubhav Sinha is also associated with the project.
Sinha has praised Bajpayee’s transformation for the role.
Playing Gandhi is inevitably a demanding assignment because the historical figure has been portrayed numerous times across Indian and international cinema.
Bajpayee’s performance will therefore be judged not only on physical resemblance but also on how the film interprets Gandhi during the particular period it chooses to examine.
The final title and release date have not yet been announced.
Those details should therefore remain listed as to-be-confirmed.
Kartik Aaryan’s Captain India Finally Starts Shooting
Another long-awaited project has finally moved into production.
Kartik Aaryan has begun filming Captain India in London, with director Shimit Amin now at the helm.
Production reportedly began on 1 September 2026.
Aaryan subsequently shared a photograph from the set and expressed his excitement about working with Amin.
The development is significant because Captain India has spent years in development.
The project was originally announced in 2021 and was initially associated with director Hansal Mehta.
It later underwent changes before Shimit Amin took over.
Shimit Amin Returns to Feature-Film Direction
Amin’s involvement adds considerable interest.
He is known for films including Chak De! India and Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year.
Captain India marks his return to film direction after an extended gap.
Current reports say Kartik stars alongside Parvathy Thiruvothu and Manish Chaudhary.
The story involves an Indian Air Force pilot leading a major rescue operation.
Earlier versions of the project generated controversy over perceived similarities with another project connected to the 2015 Operation Raahat evacuation in Yemen.
According to current reporting, the disagreement was later resolved after discussions between the parties involved.
The film is currently scheduled for 13 August 2027.
Love & War Completes Filming
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has, meanwhile, reached a major milestone with Love & War.
The film starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal has completed principal photography after an extended production period.
Filming began in November 2024 and continued through multiple schedules.
The final leg took place in August 2026.
With shooting complete, the movie now moves into post-production.
The current theatrical release date is 21 January 2027, placing it ahead of India’s Republic Day weekend.
Why Love & War Is Closely Watched
The film brings Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal together under Bhansali’s direction.
Plot details remain limited.
The project has generally been described as combining romance and a wartime backdrop.
Bhansali has also kept official footage relatively limited so far.
That means much of the film’s actual narrative and visual world remains to be revealed through future promotional material.
The release has moved more than once during development, so the January 2027 date should continue to be monitored for any official changes.
As things stand, however, 21 January 2027 is the current planned release.
Toxic Faces a Very Different Industry Story
While those films are progressing towards release, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups is generating headlines for a different reason.
The Yash-starrer, directed by Geetu Mohandas, has struggled commercially after its theatrical opening.
Recent reporting says its digital rights are now facing a sharp valuation decline.
According to an Indian Express report citing industry reporting, the film’s OTT rights have attracted an offer of approximately ₹30 crore, compared with expectations reportedly around ₹200 crore.
That would represent a major gap.
But this is where precise wording matters.
₹30 Crore Is a Reported Offer, Not a Confirmed Sale Price
Rajatheertha should not headline this as:
“Toxic OTT rights sold for ₹30 crore.”
The available reporting does not establish that.
The more accurate version is:
“Toxic reportedly receives around a ₹30-crore OTT offer after a theatrical setback.”
The digital rights were reported to remain unsold at the time of the original industry report.
Negotiations can change.
Another streaming platform could make a different offer.
The producers could decline the reported valuation.
Terms can also involve languages, territories, streaming windows and other commercial conditions that are not visible from a headline figure.
Therefore, ₹30 crore should be treated as an industry-reported offer, not an established transaction value.
Toxic’s Theatrical Performance Changed the Conversation
The reported digital-rights problem illustrates how theatrical performance can affect downstream value.
A major opening can demonstrate initial star power and audience curiosity.
But streaming platforms also consider longer-term audience demand when evaluating post-theatrical rights.
If a movie’s box-office performance declines sharply after opening, its perceived streaming value can also change.
That does not mean every theatrical disappointment automatically loses OTT value.
Different films perform differently on streaming.
But theatrical reception remains one signal platforms can consider when negotiating rights.
Four Stories, Four Different Stages of the Film Business
These developments provide an interesting snapshot of the Hindi film industry.
The Manoj Bajpayee–Sudhir Mishra project is at the beginning of production.
Captain India has finally moved from development into principal photography.
Love & War has completed filming and entered post-production.
Toxic is already in the post-theatrical commercial phase, where digital-rights negotiations are drawing attention.
Together, they show how entertainment news can involve very different stages of the filmmaking cycle.
Key Takeaway
Four major industry developments are currently worth tracking.
Manoj Bajpayee will portray Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in Sudhir Mishra’s next film, which has begun shooting in Lucknow.
Kartik Aaryan’s Captain India has finally gone on floors in London under Shimit Amin and is currently scheduled for August 2027.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love & War, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, has wrapped filming and is moving into post-production ahead of a planned 21 January 2027 release.
Meanwhile, Toxic is reportedly facing a much lower OTT valuation following its theatrical performance, with reports of an approximately ₹30-crore offer.
The final point requires particular caution: ₹30 crore is a reported offer, not a confirmed OTT sale price.
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The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
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