In a surprising update for Salman Khan fans, director Raj Kumar Gupta has confirmed that the much-anticipated biopic on Indian spy Ravindra Kaushik—reportedly starring the superstar—has officially been shelved. The Raid 2 director, who was once in talks with Salman for the project, recently revealed that the film has been dropped due to expiry of rights and a decision not to renew them.
Speaking to PTI, Raj Kumar Gupta said, “The rights were there with me, but then the rights expired and I didn’t renew it, so we didn’t do that.” This statement ends years of speculation surrounding the project, which was said to be a powerful portrayal of India’s most legendary spy, famously known as “Black Tiger.”
Back in 2021, Pinkvilla had reported that Salman Khan had agreed in principle to play the role of Ravindra Kaushik, with the source describing the script as one of the most heroic and shocking stories from Indian Intelligence history. Gupta had reportedly been researching Kaushik’s life for over five years before finalizing the screenplay.
While the biopic has now been shelved, Gupta is focusing on his upcoming film Raid 2, starring Ajay Devgn in his iconic role of IRS officer Amay Patnaik. The sequel also features Vaani Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Rajat Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, and Saurabh Shukla, and is set to hit cinemas on May 1, 2025.
Meanwhile, Salman Khan, last seen in Sikandar alongside Rashmika Mandanna, is gearing up for his next big project, a film tentatively titled Ganga Ram, where he will share the screen with Sanjay Dutt.