In the latest buzz from the Indian film industry, a potential crossover between Bollywood and Kollywood is creating a stir. Speculation is rife about Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) possibly joining Rajinikanth in the sequel to the 2023 hit, "Jailer". Adding fuel to the fire, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, who is reportedly part of "Jailer 2", seemingly confirmed SRK's cameo in a recent interview.
While neither Sun Pictures nor director Nelson Dilipkumar have officially announced Shah Rukh Khan as part of the cast, Chakraborty's statement has sent fans into a frenzy. In an interview with SITI Cinema, Chakraborty, while discussing the film's ensemble cast, mentioned Shah Rukh Khan's name along with other prominent actors like Mohanlal, Ramya Krishnan, and Shivarajkumar. However, it's important to note that Chakraborty himself has not explicitly stated that SRK has signed the film or shot for it.
"Jailer 2," slated for release on June 12, 2026, will see Rajinikanth reprise his role as Muthuvel Pandian, a retired jailer. The film is expected to be a direct sequel, delving into the aftermath of the events from the first film and exploring the protagonist's family dynamics after his son's death. The cast includes S.J. Suryah, Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Mirnaa, Vidya Balan, and Anna Rajan. Cameos from Mithun Chakraborty, Shiva Rajkumar, and Vinayakan are already confirmed. If Shah Rukh Khan does join the cast, it would be a rare and massive crossover, uniting two of Indian cinema's biggest icons on screen.
In other news, Akshaye Khanna's menacing portrayal of Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar's "Dhurandhar" has been widely praised. However, the actor was initially unconvinced about his character's styling. Costume designer Smriti Chauhan revealed that the initial design approach leaned heavily towards traditional pathanis. Khanna felt that this wasn't the complete picture of Rehman Dakait, and he played a decisive role in reshaping his character's visual arc.
Khanna suggested incorporating elements that reflected the character's street origins. Chauhan explained, "We gave him kurta-jeans as well. It was a very important input by Akshaye sir himself, that we should not forget that he is also from the streets". This suggestion helped underline the character's roots and made narrative sense, especially as the story charts Rehman's ascent into politics. Khanna was also unsure about an earlier look and suggested making changes to how Rehman Dakait appeared in the film.
The designer recalled multiple trials with elaborate pathanis featuring heavy embroidery, but Akshaye remained unsure. At one stage, he even told the team, "I'm not sure if we take this route". The discussions eventually circled back to the need for rawness and grit, reminding everyone that the character's origins had to be reflected in his clothing. To ensure Rehman Dakait stood apart, the team made a deliberate contrast, dressing Khanna in all black while the dancers wore white. Chauhan ultimately chose a Balochi pathani for the actor, confident that black was the right call.
