New Delhi: Bengali entertainment giant Shree Venkatesh Films has decided to cross borders and travel west to produce the Gujarati film Jai Kanhaiyalal Ki. The family entertainer is set to be directed by Dharmessh Mehta, who recently directed the Amar Upadhyay-Rashami Desai starrer Mom Tane Nai Samjay, which featured in the top 10 Gujarati commercial successes this year.
The movie will be headlined by Siddharth Randeria, known for his plays and live performances. His latest success is the play, Bluffmaster Gujjubhai. Along with Shrikant Mohta and Mahendra Soni, co-founders of SVF, the film is also backed by Namanraj Productions Pvt Ltd and Siddharth Randeria Production LLP. The film will be released on 9 January 2026. Hitu Kanodia of Vash (2023) fame will also be a part of the film, along with Vaishali Thakkar.
“Gujarati cinema has always carried a unique flavour of storytelling, and collaborating with them has been inspiring and exciting. With this film, we are bringing together entertainment, family emotions, and scaling it in a way that will truly resonate with audiences across regions. We’re confident this collaboration will set a fresh benchmark for SVF,” said SVF co-producer Abhishek Daga.
SVF, which has entered its 30th year, unveiled its slate of films and OTT content in an event titled ‘Golper Parbon 1432’ in March. Its latest release, Raghu Dakat, starring Dev in the lead role, is currently in theatres.
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‘Stories that connect’
Gujarati cinema is in the spotlight, with a National Award for Krishnadev Yagnik’s Vash and its lead actor Janki Bodiwala. This was followed by the success of its Hindi remake, Shaitaan (2024), and a sequel, Vash Level 2. In 2023, Jio Studios also announced a collaboration with Bengali filmmakers for a new slate of content. Now, SVF too has entered the market.
“Jai Kanhaiyalal Ki is a story I’ve been wanting to tell for quite some time. It’s simple, yet it carries a depth that I believe will connect with everyone. With SVF, it felt like home from the very first meeting because they’re a huge house for the Bengali industry and have always stood for stories that truly connect with audiences,” said Dharmessh Mehta.
The motion poster of the film was shared on SVF’s social media accounts on 2 October.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)