SAJID NADIADWALA'S BLOCKBUSTER BLUEPRINT

With the Nadiadwala legacy turning 75 this year, we talk to the man who has not only turned NGE into one of Bollywood's topmost production houses, but also seems to have managed to crack the coveted code of commercially successful massy entertainers

- BY ANANYA GHOSH

In a landscape where the post-pandemic OTT boom, coupled with the steep rise in ticket prices are making many producers steer clear of tentpole movies, Sajid Nadiadwala has not only kept his faith on the big-budget massy commercial entertainers his production house is known for, but has gone all out. His last release, Housefull 5, had a large ensemble cast of 19 actors, including Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Abhishek Bachchan as part of the core cast along with the likes of Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Panday, and was shot on a luxurious cruise ship in international waters for 40 days, making it one of the most expensive Indian comedies ever made. And if that was not enough, he even introduced a dual-ending concept. The movie went on to earn over Rs 300 crore worldwide—the first movie in the Housefull franchise to do so—making it the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2025 so far. But beyond the box office success, the franchise's all-star cast, with Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Chunkey Pandey being permanent fixtures and Abhishek Bachchan and Bobby Deol joining in on multiple movies, is a prime example of the goodwill Nadiadwala has built in the industry and the strong bonds he has created with his actors over the years.

His next is Baaghi 4. Led by Tiger Shroff, it is yet another franchise movie known for its high-octane, gravity-defying action set pieces. With the fourth instalment, scheduled to release in theatres on September 5, Sajid is venturing into a fresh new space that is much darker and more intense. "Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment (NGE) is turning 75 this year, and this is the first time I have made an adult-rated movie," says the producer, who is a staunch believer of massy family entertainers. With this instalment, the