Randeep Hooda and Celina Jaitly join Anil Sharma’s ‘Arjun Naga’, Utkarsh Sharma-led period drama on Dubai’s 1960s oil rush: We are making the film in four parts |
Randeep Hooda and Celina Jaitly have reportedly joined the cast of Anil Sharma’s upcoming period drama ‘Arjun Naga’, which stars his son Utkarsh Sharma in the lead role and features Arjun Rampal as the antagonist. Set against Dubai’s oil boom in the 1960s, the ambitious project is planned as a four-part saga, with each instalment set to have a different title. The first part is currently being filmed in Mumbai, with production expected to continue into 2027.
Randeep Hooda and Celina Jaitly join Anil Sharma’s ‘Arjun Naga’
Filmmaker Anil Sharma, known for directing ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’ (2001) and ‘Gadar 2’ (2023), is working on another large-scale project with ‘Arjun Naga’. His son, Utkarsh Sharma, plays the lead role, while Arjun Rampal is set to portray the antagonist.Randeep Hooda and Celina Jaitly have reportedly joined the cast of the period drama, which is planned as a four-part film series. The story will unfold against the backdrop of Dubai’s oil rush in the 1960s, exploring how the discovery of oil transformed the emirate and reshaped the fortunes of the people connected to it.According to Mid-Day, the project will feature a large ensemble, with prominent actors appearing in pivotal roles across its four instalments. The makers are yet to reveal the characters Hooda and Jaitly will portray.
‘Arjun Naga’ to chronicle Dubai’s 1960s oil rush
‘Arjun Naga’ will reportedly open in the early 1960s, when Dubai was still a relatively small trading and fishing centre. Its story will trace the events leading up to the discovery of oil in the Fateh field in 1966 and the transformation that followed.According to the report, the film will incorporate the 1963 oil exploration concession granted to Continental Oil Company and the years of drilling that preceded the discovery. The historical backdrop will provide the setting for a fictional story about power, ambition and shifting fortunes.Utkarsh’s character is expected to rise from extreme poverty to become one of the wealthiest men in Dubai. His journey will play out against the emirate’s changing economic and social landscape, with the oil boom forming the backdrop to the drama.While the film draws on a significant period in Dubai’s history, the principal characters and their personal journeys are part of the dramatised narrative.
Anil Sharma reveals why ‘Arjun Naga’ will be made in four parts
Speaking to Mid-Day, Anil Sharma confirmed that the project is being developed as a four-part saga, with different titles planned for each instalment.“Arjun Naga is about Dubai’s oil rush in the 1960s. We are making the film in four parts, and it will have 10-12 top actors in pivotal roles spread across these instalments. The title will change with each part. We will shoot in Mumbai, Rajasthan, other parts of India, Dubai, and other international cities,” the filmmaker said.The format will allow the story to unfold across multiple instalments, with the ensemble cast appearing in pivotal roles throughout the saga. The changing titles also suggest that each part will have its own identity within the larger narrative.The production is expected to involve several locations in India and abroad, reflecting the scale of the period drama and its international setting.
First instalment of ‘Arjun Naga’ aims to wrap by March 2027
The first instalment of ‘Arjun Naga’ is currently being filmed at Mumbai’s Film City. According to the report, the team aims to complete the first part’s shoot by March 2027.Further filming is planned in Rajasthan, other parts of India, Dubai and additional international locations. The makers have not yet announced release dates for the four instalments or disclosed the final titles.With Utkarsh Sharma in the lead and Randeep Hooda, Celina Jaitly and Arjun Rampal reportedly part of the ensemble, ‘Arjun Naga’ is shaping up as an expansive period drama centred on one of the most consequential phases in Dubai’s modern history.
