Subhash Ghai Unveils 'Manya' Poster, Reunites With Shreyas Talpade

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has released a new poster for "Manya," an upcoming Hindi film starring Shreyas Talpade, marking the 48th anniversary of his production house, Mukta Arts, on Saturday, Oct. 24. The project reunites Ghai and Talpade nearly two decades after "Iqbal," the 2005 sports drama that Ghai produced and that brought the actor widespread recognition.

According to The Times of India, the poster arrived as Ghai marks 50 years in Indian cinema this year. The film is directed by Sameer Joshi and follows the life of a juvenile boy, aiming to look at the human story behind his circumstances rather than focusing only on crime.

A courtroom setting and a 15-year-old at the center

Cinema Express described "Manya" as a courtroom drama and reported that the poster shows Talpade standing in the middle of a courtroom, facing the young man he is supposed to defend. The poster's tagline, according to the outlet, reads, "A heartfelt story of a 15 year old thief."

Puneet Aggarwal and Rahul Puri are credited as producers alongside Mukta Arts, and the film is being made in association with Slow Burn Entertainment, with Ghai presenting. News18 reported that the cast also includes Samvedna Suwalka, Divya Sharma, Priyadarshini Pooja and Zoheb Farooqui in pivotal roles. The poster was shared through the Instagram account of Mukta Arts Ltd.

None of the reports published on Oct. 24 included a release date for the film. Cinema Express said further details about the cast and crew are to be announced officially.

Ghai on the anniversary and the reunion

In a statement carried by News18 and cited by The Times of India, Ghai linked the film to the company's anniversary. "This milestone marks a significant beginning in Mukta Arts Journey with more exciting projects and with stories that matter, first of which is Manya," he said.

Ghai also spoke about returning to work with Talpade. "Working with Shreyas after almost 2 decades has been great, reminded me of his caliber and range he brings to the table," he said, adding that the film's other characters reflect the abilities of younger performers. "New and upcoming talents have a lot of potential and that can be seen in other characters in this film portrayed so beautifully," Ghai said. He closed his statement by saying, "Can’t wait for all to see the journey of Manya through our eyes."

The 'Iqbal' connection

"Iqbal," directed by Nagesh Kukunoor and produced by Ghai, was released in theaters on Friday, Aug. 26, 2005. Talpade played the title role of a deaf and mute boy from a village who dreams of playing cricket for India, with Naseeruddin Shah and Girish Karnad in the cast. It was distributed under the Mukta Searchlight Films banner. The film won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.

Cinema Express noted that the film was Talpade's breakout hit and that Talpade had also collaborated with Ghai on "Apna Sapna Money Money." The outlet reported that Talpade was most recently seen in the social drama "The India Story," which also featured Kajal Aggarwal.

Five decades in cinema and 48 years of Mukta Arts

Ghai's first film as director, "Kalicharan," was released in 1976. His later directing credits include "Karz," "Hero," "Karma," "Ram Lakhan," "Saudagar," "Khalnayak," "Pardes" and "Taal." The Mukta Arts website states that the company was established in 1978 by Ghai, and lists its businesses as film production, the Mukta A2 Cinemas exhibition chain, the film and media school Whistling Woods International, and SGM Studios, which it describes as the company's animation and visual storytelling arm. The site also says Mukta Arts became India's first film studio listed on major stock exchanges.

The entertainment site Tellychakkar reported on Oct. 24 that Mukta Arts is expanding into animated features, feature films, OTT series and documentaries, and that several of these projects will be released soon. The same report listed "Iqbal," "Black & White" and "Joggers' Park" among the smaller, socially driven films in Ghai's body of work, alongside mainstream entertainers.

What else Ghai is developing

Beyond "Manya," Ghai is working on "Khalnayak Returns" with Sanjay Dutt, who starred in Ghai's 1993 film "Khalnayak," as well as a courtroom drama featuring Anil Kapoor, according to The Times of India and News18. Glamsham reported the same slate and said other projects are also in development, with further announcements expected in the coming months.

No trailer, music or release window for "Manya" had been announced as of Saturday, Oct. 24.