EXCLUSIVE: Khal Nayak was among the films that established Sanjay Dutt as a Bollywood action star in the 1990s, and now he’s planning to reboot the thriller.

Dutt and Aksha Kamboj have acquired rights to the film from the original creator and director, Subhash Ghai and his Mukta Arts. Dutt’s Three Dimension Motion Pictures and Kamboj’s Aspect Entertainment are now teaming with Jio Studios for a new version.

Dutt appears in a video to go with the announcement, which you can see above, perching above a battered opponent smoking a cigarette. The original film saw him antihero Balaram “Ballu” Prasad, a criminal with a complex morality.

Jio Studios will lead on the creative for what the makers are calling “a fresh interpretation of the cult classic.” There’s no word right now if that means remake, sequel, prequel or a new script altogether, but the creators say it will “bring the essence of the original to contemporary audiences while retaining its nostalgic appeal.”

The film is considered a turning point in Indian cinema, moving away from purely evil villains to ones that show more complexity and shades of grey.

“Khal Nayak is a film that is close to my heart and even today it’s remembered with fondness,” said Dutt. “It’s been a long-cherished dream of mine to be able to revive this film and hence we have legally acquired the rights for it. I want to thank Subhashji and the team of Mukta Arts for entrusting us with this legacy. With Jyoti on board and Jio Studios presenting the film and partners like Aksha, we are looking forward to creating something truly special for both longtime fans and a new generation.”

For Reliance Industries Limited-owned Jio Studios, the news comes during the continued global success of Dhurandhar The Revenge, which has set new global benchmarks for Indian movies at the box office.

Jyoti Deshpande, who is President of Jio Studios and will lead on the creative, added: “Khal Nayak stood out as an era-defining film just as the Dhurandhar duology has done today. It truly redefined mainstream storytelling in its time, driven by an unconventional narrative, unforgettable dialogues and characters, and a truly memorable performance by Sanjay Dutt as Ballu.

“At Jio Studios, we are delighted to present this collaboration with Sanjay and Aksha as we look to reintroduce this iconic character back to the big screen for a new generation, while rekindling the nostalgia that still surrounds it for those who experienced it in the ’90s.”

Kamboj’s Aspect will look create “a collaborative ecosystem where technology serves the story,” with the studio’s participation signalling “a shift toward a more streamlined, tech-forward approach to movie making in India,” according to Jio.

Kamboj said: “Aspect Global’s ventures span multiple industries and with our collaboration with Sanjay Dutt’s production house we are stepping into the world of film production. This will be our first venture under the banner Aspect Entertainment. We are delighted that we will be collaborating with one of the most celebrated actors of the Hindi film industry and having Jio Studios to present this and with Jyoti Deshpande’s track record of blockbusters, we have a winning combination that makes it even more exciting for us to start this journey.”