'The Ghost of Lakhpat': Karan Johar enters Gujarati cinema, to produce Preya Hirji's directorial - Reports

Major Bollywood banner Dharma Productions is reportedly entering Gujarati cinema with the film 'The Ghost of Lakhpat', produced under its banner and directed by Preya Hirji.


According to The Filmy Fox, shooting officially began in November 2025 in the Kutch region, signalling a new era of collaboration between big-budget Bollywood houses and regional Gujarati film industry. The film stars leads Yukti Randeria and Esha Kansara, and is set in the historic village of Lakhpat, a once-thriving port that became a ghost town after an 1819 earthquake altered the Indus River’s course.



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Karan Johar’s hint

Discussing the project on the YouTube channel Game Changers, Karan Johar said: “We are working with a Gujarati director,” while acknowledging that “not much details were revealed.” The announcement generated buzz among fans on Reddit, where one user wrote: “I’m so happy to be the era to see our industry growing so much!” and another commented: “This sounds good if true, excited!”

Gujarati box office on a high

This move from a top Bollywood production house arrives at a time when the Gujarati film sector is flourishing like never before. 'Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate', starring Reeva Rachh, has become a phenomenon. Made on a minimal budget of Rs 50 lakh, the film has stunned the trade by collecting an estimated Rs 60.90 crore net in India in just 41 days at the box office. The film even went on to add another Rs 2.50 crore on day 42, continuing its remarkable run. It has emerged as the most profitable Indian film of 2025 .


Also the Gujarati film 'Chaniya Toli' created a good hype among the audiences and did good box office performance. According to the reports, the film surged past Rs 21 crores in 30 days.







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