Indian filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar is returning to Yash Raj Films (YRF), the studio where he made his first four films, Variety has learned.
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Zafar made his feature directorial debut with YRF’s 2011 romantic comedy “Mere Brother Ki Dulhan,” starring Katrina Kaif, Imran Khan and Ali Zafar. The film was a hit and Zafar followed up with the studio’s action film “Gunday” (2014), starring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan, which was a massive success. Blockbusters followed, including wrestling drama “Sultan” (2016), starring Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma, which is one of the studio’s all-time biggest hits; and “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017), starring Khan and Kaif, the second instalment of YRF’s popular spy universe franchise created by studio head Aditya Chopra.
Family drama “Bharat” (2019), also starring Khan and Kaif, an adaptation of Yoon Je-kyoon’s “Ode to My Father,” also proved to be a success. Produced by Reel Life Productions, Salman Khan Films and T-Series, this was Zafar’s first film beyond the YRF banner.
Prime Video series “Tandav” (2021), headlined by Saif Ali Khan, followed. Some parts of the series offended members of the ruling Hindu nationalist dispensation. It featured a scene in which a character, played by Muslim actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, portrayed the Hindu God Shiva. Prime Video quickly edited the scene and Zafar had to apologize as did the streamer.
Next up for Zafar was well-received Netflix drama-thriller “Jogi” (2022), on the 1984 Delhi riots, headlined by Diljit Dosanjh. His next, 2023 action thriller “Bloody Daddy,” an adaptation of 2011 French film “Sleepless Night” starring Shahid Kapoor, produced by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Studios for streamer JioCinema also won acclaim.
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Zafar had a rare misfire with big-budget action epic “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,” starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. The film released earlier this year during the Eid holiday frame and underperformed at the box office.
Now, Zafar is returning to Yash Raj Films to collaborate on and direct multiple original theatrical projects under his mentor Chopra’s banner.
“Ali Abbas Zafar is a filmmaker who has gone on to make huge hit films at YRF like ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan,’ ‘Sultan,’ ‘Gunday’ and ‘Tiger Zinda Hai.’ So, this is an exciting development because Ali is technically returning to his alma mater,” a trade source tells Variety .
“We are sure Ali will scale greater heights as he creatively collaborates with Aditya Chopra on multiple big budget tentpole projects for YRF. The two haven’t yet locked the projects that Ali will now direct at YRF. But we can confirm that these will be original theatrical projects,” the source added.
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