Ahan Shetty is heading back to a film set. The actor will begin shooting his next film, Sanki, in Bhopal on Friday, October 30, with director Tinu Suresh Desai and his crew already in the city to finish preparations. The schedule marks Ahan’s first new shoot since Border 2, and it puts him at the centre of a romantic action drama that the makers plan to release in cinemas in the first half of 2027.
News of the Bhopal schedule broke on Thursday, October 29, with the director already on location and final checks under way before the first shot. For an actor who has spoken openly about feeling the pressure of comparisons in Border 2, Sanki looks like a deliberate next step: a story of his own, with a director known for taut, mainstream thrillers.
A love story with action at its core
Sanki is described by its makers as a romantic action entertainer. Written by Gyanendra Vasudev, the film places a love story at the centre and builds high octane action and emotional drama around it. The plot itself is being kept under wraps for now, and the team has said little beyond that broad shape. Further details, including the rest of the cast and the look of the film, are expected to be revealed in the coming months.
Why Bhopal, and why now
Bhopal has become a regular stop for Hindi film shoots, offering old city streets, lakes, and institutional buildings within easy reach of each other. Desai reaching the city early with a large crew suggests the opening schedule is substantial rather than a token first shot.
A director with a track record in tension
Tinu Suresh Desai brings a specific reputation to Sanki. He directed Rustom, the Akshay Kumar courtroom thriller, and Mission Raniganj, the rescue drama based on a real coal mine accident. Both films turned on pressure, procedure, and people holding their nerve, and both were built around a central performance carrying long stretches of the story.
After Border 2, a film of his own
Ahan made his Bollywood debut with Tadap and was most recently seen in Border 2, which released in theatres on January 23. The war drama, inspired by the 1971 India Pakistan War, featured Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh alongside Ahan, and it carried an extra layer of meaning for him: his father, Suniel Shetty, had featured in the original Border.
Ahan has spoken about how nervous that made him, particularly about recreating a scene associated with his father’s performance, and about a final scene involving the two of them that could not be filmed together. Sanki does not carry that family history in the same way. It is a chance for audiences to judge him on a new character, in a new world.
Reports around the project also say Ahan has been selective since Border 2. Sanki is the project he has chosen, and it will be followed by Vikram Bhatt’s 1920 Cold Winter.
The story behind the title
There is also a small, telling story behind the film’s name. Reports say the title Sanki had earlier been registered by producer Sajid Nadiadwala for a separate project. When Ahan expressed interest in using it for his film, he is said to have approached Nadiadwala personally, and the matter was resolved amicably, with Nadiadwala agreeing to let the team use the title as a gesture of goodwill towards Ahan and the Shetty family.
Who is backing Sanki
Sanki is backed by We The People, Roaring River Productions and Pals and Peers Entertainment. The three banners are producing together, and the Bhopal schedule is their first public step with the film. No further casting announcements have been made yet, and the makers have kept the subject and storyline under wraps while the shoot gets under way.
- Film: Sanki, a romantic action drama
- Lead actor: Ahan Shetty
- Director: Tinu Suresh Desai, known for Rustom and Mission Raniganj
- Writer: Gyanendra Vasudev
- Shoot begins: October 30, 2026, in Bhopal
- Release: Theatrical release planned for the first half of 2027
- Producers: We The People, Roaring River Productions and Pals and Peers Entertainment
For now, all eyes are on Bhopal. If the first schedule goes as planned, Sanki will move from an announcement to a film in production by the end of this week, and Ahan Shetty will have a new story to tell that is entirely his own.
FAQs
When does the shoot for Sanki begin?
Shooting begins on Friday, October 30, 2026, in Bhopal. Director Tinu Suresh Desai and his crew have already reached the city to complete preparations.
Who stars in Sanki?
Ahan Shetty leads the film. Further casting details have not been announced yet, and the makers have kept the storyline under wraps.
Who is directing Sanki?
Tinu Suresh Desai, who directed Rustom and Mission Raniganj. The film is written by Gyanendra Vasudev.
What kind of film is Sanki?
It is a romantic action entertainer, built around a love story with intense emotions and high octane action.
When will Sanki release?
The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in the first half of 2027.
Stay with Informeia for updates from the Bhopal schedule and the first looks from Sanki as they are revealed.
