- Ram Gopal Varma and Mohit Suri are collaborating on a new gangster drama.
- The story is set around the Dawood Ibrahim–Chhota Rajan split.
- The film will explore events following the 1993 serial blasts.
- Varma says the project will be “much larger in scale than DHURANDHAR.”
- Suri’s emotional storytelling and music will shape the crime saga.
Ram Gopal Varma and Mohit Suri are bringing together two very different filmmaking styles for an upcoming Hindi gangster drama.
Varma, known for crime films such as Satya and Company, will write and co-produce the project, while Suri will direct. The collaboration was announced on social media, with Varma teasing a mix of romance and crime.
Sharing a selfie with Suri on X, Varma wrote: "Me and #Saiyaara's @mohit11481 for his NEXT film, are COOKING together a LOVE DISH full of GANGSTER CURRY .. Details to be SERVED VERY VERY SOON."
Suri later reshared the announcement on Instagram, describing the project as "straight from the heart... Armed with a loaded gun!" He also referred to Varma as the "OG gangster," acknowledging the filmmaker's long association with Mumbai underworld stories.
The film's combination of gangster drama, romance, emotion and music marks an unusual pairing for the two filmmakers.
The Dawood-Chhota Rajan split is at the Center
Varma subsequently revealed more about the story, placing it during a turbulent period in Mumbai's underworld history.
According to him, the film will revolve around the split between Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Rajan and the events that followed. He also pointed to the involvement of Indian intelligence agencies and the aftermath of the 1993 serial blasts.
Varma wrote on X: "The story is set in the times of the Dawood Ibrahim, Chota Rajan split, due to a man called Sautya and how the Indian intelligence agencies were involved in the later proceedings which further led to some key events of the aftermath of the 93 serial blasts."
The project will therefore combine the underworld backdrop with intelligence operations and the larger chain of events that followed one of the darkest chapters in Mumbai's history.
Why Varma says it could be bigger than Dhurandhar
While the subject is firmly rooted in crime, Varma believes Suri will bring a distinct emotional identity to the story.
He wrote: “For a story with this kind of a backdrop Mohit brought in a tremendous flair of his own brand of 'from the heart characters, superlative emotional music and never before thought of ultra realistic action.”
Varma has also set ambitious expectations for the project, describing it as "much larger in scale than DHURANDHAR, and much more rooted than SATYA in its heart."
He compared the potential combination to an unexpected meeting of Hollywood filmmaking styles, asking audiences to imagine Jaws directed by Francis Ford Coppola or The Godfather directed by Steven Spielberg.
For Suri, the collaboration also carries a personal significance. Varma's films helped inspire him during his early years as an aspiring filmmaker. Now, the director of Saiyaara is teaming up with the filmmaker whose work influenced his own journey.
The announcement follows the success of Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Suri is also expected to reunite with the pair for another romantic drama backed by Yash Raj Films, planned for 2027.
Meanwhile, Varma has several other projects in development, including Police Company, Police Station Mein Bhoot and Syndicate.
