Actors who played Krishna in 2026 projects: A review of popular performers

The film 'Hanuman ANSH' is currently generating significant interest in cinema screenings. The director and screenwriter of the film, Dr. Vishal Chaturvedi, expressed a desire for Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma to also watch this picture, especially after it was appreciated by Virender Sehwag.

The director noted that it would be a great joy for the entire crew if Virat and Anushka could see the film. It was particularly meaningful that Virender Sehwag watched 'Hanuman ANSH' with his child, without being part of the film crew, and shared his reaction on social media. For Chaturvedi, this moment was very emotional, as he has long been a big cricket fan of Sehwag.

Chaturvedi emphasized that Sehwag's approval was not just a celebrity review for him, but a kind of 'full circle life' moment. Now his focus is on Virat Kohli, and he hopes that Virat and Anushka can experience this spiritual story.

The film is also showing impressive box office results. Released on August 7, 2026, without a major marketing campaign or active promotion, 'Hanuman ANSH' achieved significant success through word-of-mouth. After four weeks in India, the film's total revenue reached 85.97 crore rupees. On the first day, the film earned 1 million rupees, and in the first week, it collected 1.08 crore rupees. In the second week, it earned 4 million rupees, but thanks to strong word-of-mouth, the income reached 10.40 crore rupees in the third week.

The film's story plans to go beyond the country. The creators announced that 'Hanuman ANSH' will be shown worldwide on September 11, 2026, allowing the international audience to get acquainted with the spiritual history of the Maharaj.

Furthermore, the director confirmed that the story of 'Hanuman ANSH' will continue, and a sequel will be released. The film is a spiritual drama inspired by the life and teachings of Nima Kauli Baba, whom fans affectionately call the Maharaj. Shobhanav Satya played the role of Nima Kauli Baba, and Vikhan Shedge portrays another stage of the Maharaj's life. The film also features actors such as Chandan Anand, Purmina Tiwari, Anil K. Rastogi, and Gulshan Pandey. This 2 hour 30 minute film, rated U, is considered successful due to people's deep faith in the Maharaj and great interest in his life. It remains to be seen what reaction the Sehwag couple, and subsequently Virat-Anushka, will have after watching 'Hanuman ANSH.'

The first trailer for the film 'Ramayana,' which is scheduled for release on Diwali, has recently been released. In this film, actor Suhail Nayyar will appear alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash. According to the plot, Suhail Nayyar will portray the character of Sugriva, Bali's younger brother.

According to the epic 'Ramayana,' Sugriva was the younger brother of Bali. Although some legends suggest that Sugriva's father is the Sun god and Bali's father is the god Indra, the Ramayana itself states that both brothers were orphans. They were raised in the ashram of the sage Gautama along with Anusuya and Gautama himself. One day, the monkey king Vrisharad and his companions came to the ashram. Since they had no children, they expressed a desire to take these two as adopted sons. Gautama decided that the future of Sugriva and Bali would be better if they took the form of monkeys, and he entrusted them to Vrisharad. After this, both were transported to Kishkindha, which was extremely rich in nature, abundant with trees, fruits, and natural resources. Upon arriving at the new place, Sugriva and Bali began to live in abundance.

Vrisharad paid special attention to the upbringing of Bali and Sugriva, teaching them not only physical fitness but also necessary knowledge of war and state administration. Kishkindha was a kingdom of monkeys, and its borders were constantly threatened by demons and bloodsuckers, requiring constant vigilance from Vrisharad. Over time, Bali became very powerful, and Sugriva reached the same level of strength and skill. Both began to understand their duties and the rules of their kingdom.

Bali and Sugriva jointly maintained Kishkindha as a prosperous state where fruits grew abundantly, and grain supplies were sufficient. It is said that all the monkeys in Kishkindha were vegetarians and did not consume animal meat. After their wedding, Bali and Sugriva planted fig trees and grapevines. Bali's father-in-law, Sushen, was not only a good doctor but also possessed deep knowledge of horticulture and vegetation. Thanks to his advice, agriculture and gardening flourished in Kishkindha.

One day, the demon Dundubi attacked Kishkindha. Bali engaged him in battle alone, while Sugriva followed Dundubi to the cave. The demon hid in the cave, and Sugriva waited outside. Fierce battles raged inside the cave between Bali and Dundubi, the sounds of which reached the palace of Kishkindha. Before his death, Dundubi let out a loud cry, which Sugriva and the inhabitants of Kishkindha perceived as a sign of Bali's demise. Sugriva waited long at the entrance of the cave. When he was sure of Bali's death, he placed a large stone before the cave entrance. Blood also seeped from the cave. After this, Sugriva returned to Kishkindha and began to govern the state, sitting on the throne with his wife and family.

After some time, Bali managed to move the heavy stone blocking the cave entrance and emerged. He did not find Sugriva there. He realized that Sugriva had mistaken him for dead and had taken the throne of Kishkindha. This caused Bali immense feelings of humiliation and anger. When Bali arrived at the palace, he saw Sugriva seated on the throne, surrounded by Ruma and Tara. Bali roared loudly into the palace, ordering everyone to rise from their seats. However, Sugriva had already risen. This further enraged Bali, and he declared Sugriva disobedient and defiant of his orders. In a rage, Bali picked up a mace and began to pursue Sugriva.

Wherever Sugriva ran, Hanuman and his comrades followed, trying to bring him to a safe place. Every time Sugriva tried to return to his palace, Bali resumed his pursuit. To save his life, Sugriva ran across various parts of the land, observing many wonders and places. He even jumped across oceans; when he crossed an ocean, the water appeared shiny like glass. Thus, he saw many parts of the world and gained information about them.

Later, this information proved very useful to Sugriva. When Ravana abducted Mother Sita, Sugriva sent monkeys in different directions to search. Sitting on Mount Rishyamukha, Sugriva told Lord Rama that he had traveled through many parts of the land searching for Sita and seen people leap into the sky, covering great distances. He also informed Lord Rama that Bali continued to pursue him.

In the film 'Mahakali,' director Puji Kolluru cast Akshay Khanna as Shukracharya, the teacher of the Asuras. A trailer for the film has been released. After Akshay Khanna played the character of Rahman Dhaka, who was killed by the betrayal of his own students, he now returns to the role of such a mentor who possesses the mysterious knowledge of Sanjivani, allowing him to resurrect the dead.

Akshay Khanna's diversity of roles, as a teacher and mentor, is quite interesting, but the most captivating part of this mythological story by Prashant Varma is the enigmatic character whose life resembles a movie plot. Imagine a war where your enemy does not disappear even after death. You have defeated him, you celebrate the success, and then it turns out that somewhere behind the battlefield there is such a sage capable of bringing the dead warrior back to life. This is Shukracharya.

This character could organically fit into any modern fantasy franchise. Long before the appearance of Jedi and Sith in 'Star Wars,' before the creation of Hogwarts in 'Harry Potter,' and before the stories of gods and cosmic wars in the Marvel and DC universes, ancient Indian epics featured sages, divine weapons, supernatural powers, curses, and blessings. These characters could not be understood simply by labeling them good or bad.

In this picture, Akshay Khanna looks almost unrecognizable. His appearance has completely changed due to a long beard, dreadlocks, and traditional attire, but behind this image lies the story of an exceptional scholar. The story of Shukracharya began long before the knowledge of Sanjivani or Devasura Samgraha. He was born into the family of Rishi Bhrighu and Kavya, and his true name was Ushna. He studied at the ashram of Rishi Angira along with his son Brahmapati.

Ushna was extremely talented, but gradually began to feel that Brahmapati was receiving preference merely because he was the teacher's son. Ushna's example shows how grand a story can become when a talented student feels the system is unfair to him. Ushna was not content to be just another Vedic scholar. He expanded the scope of his studies at the Gurutama ashram, mastering complex disciplines such as strategy, logic, politics, and understanding human behavior. In terms of modern fantasy, this was similar to the Hogwarts or Jedi training center, where knowing the laws of the universe was only the first step. The real task was how to use that knowledge in the world.

However, when it came to choosing a teacher for the gods, Brahmapati was chosen. For Ushna, this confirmed that competence alone was not enough; lineage and acceptance were also important. His rival was the teacher's son, while his own mother was connected to the Asuras. Ushna left the celestial realm, and this is where the story becomes truly interesting.

When Ushna arrived in the world of the Asuras, he witnessed the scene of Dev-Asura conflict, which complicated the entire story. The Asuras were not just villains waiting for the next battle. They had their own kings, warriors, their own understanding of dharma and morality, ambitions, and codes of honor. But their biggest weakness was that they could die. The gods had amrita, and the Asuras did not, so both sides could fight with bravery and strength, but the final outcome was never equal. Shukracharya realized that the true difference between the two sides lay not only in morality but also in mortality.

This realization changed his strategy. Instead of simply throwing warriors into battle, as kings like Bali and Hiranyakashipu did, he focused on patience, politics, and long-term strategy. He became such a complex mentor from modern fantasy, combining the wisdom of Gandalf and the intricate devotion of Snape. However, Shukracharya did not seek to conquer the world. He believed he was correcting a system that was inherently unequal.

But strategy also has its limits. It cannot stop death. If the gods have amrita, Shukracharya needed to find his answer. The answer was the mysterious knowledge of Sanjivani—the secret of resurrecting the dead. After this, the narrative resembles a grand fantasy film more than a traditional mythological tale. Shukracharya spent many years in severe ascetic worship. It is said that he hung upside down from a tree and meditated amidst the burning fire below. To interrupt his meditation, Indra sent natural disasters. Even Indra's daughter, Jayanti, could not distract him. But then Lord Shiva appeared.

Shukracharya received the blessing of Sanjivani, but with it came a warning. This knowledge was intended to maintain the balance of creation, not to be used as political weaponry. However, when knowledge enters the battlefield, the entire situation changes drastically. The gods had amrita, and the Asuras had Shukracharya. Suddenly, it became difficult for both sides to consider death as a final reality. The gods complained to Shiva. Shiva did not...