True Story Films, the boutique production company launched by filmmaker Hansal Mehta and producer Sahil Saigal in January 2025, is moving aggressively on a wide-ranging slate that spans Bollywood spectacles, regional language cinema and an AI-powered food series.
The duo revealed several new projects to Variety – including “Porbandar,” a large-scale action film to be directed by Mehta himself; “Kehar Singh,” the next film from director Ajitpal Singh; and “Mehfooz,” a cannibalistic horror project with a studio already attached that is still seeking a director. They also disclosed fresh details on “Pralay,” the Ranveer Singh-led post-apocalyptic thriller currently in active pre-production.
The company is currently in production on “Dilkashi,” a romantic musical directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery that marks the Malayalam industry filmmaker’s Hindi-language debut. The project is being made in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios, features songs by A.R. Rahman and introduces a new female lead whose identity remains under wraps. Mehta describes it as a love story told in Pellissery’s distinctive style.
“Pralay,” directed by Jai Mehta – Hansal Mehta‘s son – stars Ranveer Singh and is described as a post-apocalyptic zombie survival thriller unlike anything Indian cinema has previously attempted. The film is being co-produced with Singh’s own production company Maa Kasam Films. Mehta is tight-lipped on plot specifics but emphatic about its ambition. “It’s the kind of film that India hasn’t made yet, the kind of film that India hasn’t seen before,” he says. An international crew of considerable experience has been assembled, and the shoot is expected to begin later this year.
Of the newly revealed titles, “Porbandar” – named for the Gujarati coastal city that is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi – is described as a big-scale violent action film set in deliberate contrast to the Mahatma’s legacy. “On one side you have the Mahatma from Porbandar, and on the other side you have this actioner,” Mehta says. A studio deal is close to being finalized on the project, which Mehta will direct himself.
“Kehar Singh,” from Ajitpal Singh, the director of Sundance selection “Fire in the Mountains,” is described as a spectacle film, with further details to be disclosed at a later stage.
“Mehfooz,” the cannibalistic horror title, has completed its development phase and has a studio on board, but is still seeking a director. The project reflects True Story Films’ core model of investing heavily in development before bringing on a filmmaker – an approach Mehta says was also applied to “Dilkashi,” where the script was developed and shaped before Pellissery came aboard and gave it his own spin. “We invest money in developing the film, get it all ready before we pitch to a studio, and then get a director on board,” he says.
On the regional language front, True Story Films is producing “Sardar Asardar,” a Gujarati-language film directed by Rishabh Ghelani, a longtime associate director of Mehta, that zeroes in on a specific chapter of Indian freedom fighter and the country’s first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Vallabhbhai Patel’s life prior to his receiving the title of Sardar. “It’s a story of the making of the Sardar,” Mehta says, adding that he feels a strong personal and creative obligation toward elevating Gujarati cinema. The company has also produced “Hanere de Panchi” (Birds in the Dark), a Punjabi-language independent film directed by cinematographer Shashank Walia, about a disillusioned police agent and a wrongly accused man who find unexpected love amidst a rising farm revolution.
True Story Films is additionally serving as co-producers on “Tongues of the Tree,” the upcoming film from “The Sky Is Pink” director Shonali Bose, starring Pratik Gandhi.
On the television side, the company has co-produced an Netflix series “Family Business” with Abundantia Entertainment, and has a second series in the works.
Mehta is also currently in production on “Rasooi,” an AI-powered food series he created that explores Indian kitchens and regional cuisines, with chefs serving as behind-the-scenes collaborators rather than on-camera talent. The show will be produced independently before being licensed to a platform.
Saigal, who spent six years working in hospitality in London and trained in hotel management in Switzerland before transitioning into film production, says the company’s ethos is rooted in backing work that genuinely excites them. “The idea is to tell stories that we really, really like, that resonate with us,” he says. “We are positioning ourselves as a boutique production house.” Saigal has been producing Mehta’s work since the director’s film “Faraaz.”
Describing True Story Films’ broader philosophy, Mehta says the company is built around a talent-first approach – investing in writers’ rooms and development before projects go to market, and ensuring that directors feel both creatively and financially secure. “This is a talent-first production house,” he says. “The major amount of our investment is in talent and technology.”
Reflecting on the revival of Hindi-language cinema after a rocky 2024 and a strong 2025, Mehta points to audacity as the defining quality of films that have connected with audiences. He cites “Dhurandhar” as a model – a narrative divided by chapters in two parts that defies conventional structure, with its protagonist barely coming to the foreground until midway through. “Audacity wins. You have to be audacious. You have to be unreasonable,” he says. “It’s just the sheer audacity with which you tell stories, the audacity in the choice of stories, in the choice of characters. I think we are doing exactly that. We are trying to be as audacious as possible in the choices we make, not play the safe game because safe has always been unsure.”
