Kartik Aaryan and director Kabir Khan are teaming up again. Birla Studios announced on Wednesday that their new film is titled Ladaku, and it will release in cinemas worldwide on June 18, 2027. The announcement, made on November 4, instantly became one of the most talked about pieces of Bollywood news this week, and for good reason: it reunites the actor-director pair behind Chandu Champion, and it marks a major new chapter in Kartik’s career.
For fans who followed Chandu Champion in 2024, the pairing carries real weight. That film, based on the life of India’s first Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar, earned Kartik the Best Actor honour at the 72nd National Film Awards. Now the same team is returning with another story rooted in real life, with Kartik also stepping behind the camera as a producer for the first time.
The announcement: title, date and the team behind Ladaku
Birla Studios, led by Ananya Birla, made the announcement on November 4, confirming both the title and the release date in one go. Ladaku will be produced by Birla Studios along with Kabir Khan Entertainment, and it marks Kartik’s debut as a producer through his own banner, Dopamine Studios, launched earlier in 2026.
The makers have described the film as an emotional, family-oriented drama built around an extraordinary real-life story of ambition, grit and hope. They have not yet revealed the full plot, the supporting cast or the characters, and further details are expected in the coming months as production updates roll out.
What is Ladaku about?
According to reports, Ladaku draws inspiration from the life of Tajamul Islam, the young Kashmiri athlete who became a world kickboxing champion at the age of seven and went on to become India’s youngest two-time world kickboxing champion.
Reports suggest Kartik will play a kickboxing coach who helps shape the journey of a young girl from Kashmir as she chases international success. The makers have not officially confirmed the specific real-life figure behind the film, so this part of the story remains reported rather than announced.
Reports also indicate that parts of the film have been shot across Mumbai and Kashmir, which fits a story rooted in the Valley.
Kartik turns producer with Dopamine Studios
Beyond the acting role, Ladaku is a career milestone for Kartik. Producing the film under Dopamine Studios puts him in a new position of creative control, choosing stories he believes in and backing them with his own banner.
It is a move several leading actors have made in recent years, but the timing here stands out. Kartik is producing a film with the director who gave him his most acclaimed performance, on a subject that plays directly to his strengths in grounded, emotional stories.
A packed 2027 for Kartik Aaryan
Ladaku is not the only Kartik film on the 2027 calendar. Trade reports note that the actor is lining up three releases in the first six months of 2027:
- Naagzilla (February 12, 2027): a fantasy comedy in which Kartik plays a shape-shifting naag, directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba of Fukrey fame, with Ravi Kishan in a key role.
- Anurag Basu’s love saga: the director’s romantic drama, also slated for the first half of 2027.
- Ladaku (June 18, 2027): the Kabir Khan-directed inspirational drama, and Kartik’s debut production.
That is a deliberately varied slate: a big commercial fantasy comedy, a romance, and a real-life sports drama, giving audiences three very different Kartiks within six months.
Why the Chandu Champion reunion matters
Reunions in Bollywood are announced every other week, but this one has a track record behind it. Chandu Champion asked Kartik to transform physically and carry a decades-spanning life story, holding back on the comic timing that made him famous. The result was the strongest critical response of his career and a National Award for Best Actor.
Kabir Khan, meanwhile, has built his career on large-scale stories with a human core, from Bajrangi Bhaijaan to 83. Pairing that sensibility with a story about a young girl from Kashmir chasing a world title suits both men, and if Ladaku lands the way Chandu Champion did, it could cement this actor-director combination as one of the most reliable in Hindi cinema.
For now, the wait begins. The title is out, the date is locked, and the first look and supporting cast are still to come.
FAQs
When is Ladaku releasing?
Ladaku is scheduled to release in cinemas worldwide on June 18, 2027, as announced by Birla Studios on November 4, 2026.
Who stars in and directs Ladaku?
The film stars Kartik Aaryan and is directed by Kabir Khan, reuniting the pair after their 2024 film Chandu Champion.
What is Ladaku based on?
The makers describe it as an inspiring story of ambition, grit and hope drawn from extraordinary real-life events. Reports suggest it is inspired by Kashmiri kickboxer Tajamul Islam, though the makers have not officially confirmed the specific figure.
Is Kartik Aaryan producing Ladaku?
Yes. Ladaku marks Kartik’s debut as a producer through his banner Dopamine Studios, alongside Birla Studios and Kabir Khan Entertainment.
What other films does Kartik Aaryan have in 2027?
Alongside Ladaku, his 2027 slate includes the fantasy comedy Naagzilla, releasing February 12, 2027, and Anurag Basu’s love saga.
Stay tuned to Informeia for the first look, cast announcements and trailer updates on Ladaku as they arrive.
