Mukesh Khanna , who recently made his D-Town debut with an intriguing film, told us, “Usually, I don’t do regional films. However, I felt comfortable when the team told me that my character would be speaking only in Hindi. Also, it’s a very different kind of film.” It’s not a one-off. Recently, Deepak Tijori started shooting for a Gujarati film in Ahmedabad, which marks his D-Town comeback after more than two decades. In recent times, several pan-India actors like Helly Shah, Vatsal Sheth, Hiten Tejwani , Swwapnil Joshi and Deven Bhojani have made their debut in Gujarati cinema , while several other big names are also doing Gujarati films regularly.



‘It is a great time to enter a progressive regional industry like Gujarati’

Swwapnil Joshi, who was seen in Shubhchintak, says, “I have seen the kind of content being explored here and the growth this industry has seen in the last decade. It is a great time to enter a progressive regional industry like Gujarati.”

Agrees Helly Shah, who was recently seen in Deda and Surprise, “Gujarati cinema is coming up with very good content now, and the production value is excellent too. I like the vision that the makers have. It felt wonderful to do films in my mother tongue after so many years in showbiz. We are finally getting to see content that’s very different from typical, cliched stuff.”

Asked about how this momentum can be sustained, Deven Bhojani, who made his D-Town debut with Udan Chhoo last year, shares, “With so much good content now, we need more support from the audiences. The audience has to be loyal to their language.”

Vatsal Sheth feels, “It’s amazing to see Gujarati cinema doing so well. My family loves watching Gujarati films now. Being a Gujarati, I always wanted to do a Gujarati film but unfortunately, nobody offered me one earlier. I was a bit nervous while shooting for Surprise , but overall, it was a great experience.”



‘Young filmmakers here are flexible and willing to explore new genres’

Actors like Supriya Pathak, Manav Gohil and many others are now regularly doing Gujarati films. Pathak, who was seen in Auntypreneur recently, feels, “In Gujarati films, young directors are willing to explore new genres and I like their way of working, as they are very flexible and open to experimentation. They know their craft well.”

“I had a great time while shooting for Sanghavi and Sons. I learnt Gujarati for the film, and it was an exciting experience. I had been hearing good things about the industry (D-Town)-how it has revived itself, and I have always been eager to do good regional films,” says Hiten Tejwani.

Stars are game for cameos & comebacks

Talking of memorable cameos, none other than Amitabh Bachchan has featured in Fakt Purusho Maate (2024) and Fakt Mahilao Maate (2022). Even Jackie Shroff (Ventilator, 2018), Naseeruddin Shah (Dhh, 2017) and Amitabh with Jaya Bachchan (Carry On Kesar, 2017) have played memorable cameos earlier. When it comes to long-awaited comebacks, Rashami Desai made a D-Town comeback after eight years with Mom Tane Nai Samjay this year, while Paresh Rawal made a D-Town comeback after 40 years with Dear Father (2022). Rashami says, “I am happy to see the changes in the filmmaking process and the kind of content being explored in our films now. Having worked in television for so many years, I wish to be welcomed more in Gujarati films now.” Deepak Tijori, currently shooting for Get Set Go, says, “I have been watching Gujarati films and fortunately, things have changed for the better and interesting concepts are being explored.”


Memorable D-Town debuts in recent times:

· Mukesh Khanna (Vishwaguru, 2025)

· Helly Shah and Vatsal Sheth (Surprise, 2025)

· Swwapnil Joshi (Shubhchintak , 2025)

· Hiten Tejwani (Sanghavi and Sons, 2025)

· Deven Bhojani (Udan Chhoo, 2024)

· Ratna Pathak Shah (Kutch Express, 2023)


-Inputs from Kanksha Vasavada, Yesha Bhatt and Ancela Jamindar