Kartik Aaryan is set to reunite with filmmaker Kabir Khan for Ladaku, an upcoming feature scheduled to release in cinemas worldwide on June 18, 2027. The announcement was made by Birla Studios, which is leading the production. The film will also mark Aaryan’s debut as a producer under his banner, Dopamine Studios, with Kabir Khan Entertainment attached to the project.
Described by its makers as an inspiring story rooted in extraordinary real-life events, Ladaku is being positioned as an emotional, family-oriented entertainer. Its announced themes include ambition, grit and hope. However, the makers have not yet disclosed the specific real-life events on which the story is based, the characters Aaryan and the other cast members will portray, or further details about the plot. The announcement establishes the film’s broad thematic direction and release plans, while leaving its central narrative under wraps.
Ladaku brings Aaryan and Khan together again following their 2024 collaboration, Chandu Champion. The sports biographical drama followed the life of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medallist, with Aaryan portraying the athlete. The film traced Petkar’s journey through personal and physical challenges towards sporting achievement, placing perseverance and determination at the centre of its narrative. The project also required Aaryan to take on a physically demanding role based on a real-life personality.
The new film appears to continue the actor-director duo’s association with emotionally driven storytelling, although its subject and setting are yet to be revealed. In its announcement, Birla Studios described Ladaku as a story of “ambition, grit and hope.” Deadline also quoted the producers describing it as “another emotional, heartwarming, family-entertainer”, drawing a broad comparison with Khan’s earlier films Bajrangi Bhaijaan and 83.
Both films place their central characters in challenging circumstances and follow their efforts to overcome the odds. Bajrangi Bhaijaan tells the story of a man who helps a young girl return to her family across the India-Pakistan border, while 83 revisits the Indian cricket team’s historic victory at the 1983 Cricket World Cup. These films offer context for the emotionally accessible storytelling associated with Khan’s work. However, the makers have not indicated that Ladaku shares the subject matter or narrative structure of either film.
Alongside playing the lead role, Aaryan will step into production for the first time through Dopamine Studios, the banner he launched earlier in 2026. The move adds a new dimension to his involvement in the project, taking him beyond his established role as an actor and bringing him into the production process. Birla Studios, led by Ananya Birla, is leading the project, with Kabir Khan Entertainment also attached.
For Aaryan, Ladaku follows a career that has moved across romantic comedies, dramas and larger commercial releases. He first came to wider attention with Pyaar Ka Punchnama and subsequently headlined films including the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. Over the years, he has worked across different genres and character types, building a presence in mainstream Hindi cinema. Chandu Champion represented a different kind of leading role, requiring him to portray a real athlete and undertake the physical demands associated with Petkar’s sporting journey. With Ladaku, Aaryan now has an opportunity to expand his involvement in filmmaking beyond acting through his producing debut.
Khan, meanwhile, has directed films across genres, including his debut feature Kabul Express, the drama New York, the blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan and the sports film 83. His filmography includes stories rooted in real events as well as socially grounded situations, often placing characters within larger circumstances that shape their personal journeys. While the precise narrative approach of Ladaku remains unknown, the project reunites him with an actor with whom he has already collaborated on a biographical sports drama.
The worldwide theatrical release date has been confirmed for June 18, 2027, placing Ladaku among the films on Aaryan’s upcoming slate. The announcement establishes the central creative reunion between the actor and director, along with Aaryan’s first producing credit. Several details, however, remain undisclosed. No additional cast members or specific character information have been officially announced so far.
As the film moves towards its scheduled release, further announcements are expected to provide clarity on the real-life story at its centre, the characters and the wider cast. For now, Ladaku brings Kartik Aaryan and Kabir Khan together for another feature, this time with Aaryan also taking on a producing role. Its confirmed release date and broad thematic description provide the first details of the project, while its underlying story remains to be revealed.
