14 March,2026 12:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh
Amazon MGM Studios today announced that its theatrical film Raftaar will release in cinemas on July 24, 2026. Directed by Aditya Nimbalkar and produced by Patralekhaa under the banner of Kampa Film, the film is executive produced by Tarun Bali, with story and screenplay by Rohan Narula. Starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh in the lead roles, the film also features an ensemble cast including Anurag Thakur, Rohan Verma, Tanya Maniktala and Rajat Kapoor in key roles.
Raftaar is set in a high-stakes world where ambition builds empires and success comes at a price. At its heart is a fast-rising start-up and a charged relationship between a driven man and an equally ambitious woman. As money, power and greed spiral, their hunger to win begins to clash with love. The rise is intoxicating, but after the fall, the question remains: can they fight their way back to the top, or is this where it all ends?
An Amazon MGM Studios film produced by Patralekhaa, Raftaar will hit theatres on July 24, 2026.
The actor recently made headlines for his appearance as he was seen looking totally different than usual, having gained weight and lost hair. Following the image going viral, Rao took to Instagram and revealed how this latest role turned out to be physically challenging for him. He shared that he had to gain weight and even make his hair look thinner to get the part visually right. However, this is not the first time that Rajkummar has significantly altered his appearance for a role. Before this, he went half bald for the series Bose, and lost a significant amount of weight for Trapped.
"My being is through my Art. Just finished shooting for my next Biopic NIKAM and yes, it has demanded me to change physically which I love doing. I'm not a believer in prosthetic as long as I can achieve the look through my hardwork which I've achieved in Nikam be it gaining weight or looking old (to play a certain age)or to make my hair thin which my hair stylist was very much against but everyone told me to not go half bald for BOSE also and to gain that much weight or to Not stop eating and lose so much weight for TRAPPED or to not behave like a visually impaired person even when cameras weren't rolling during SRIKANTH. (sic)," Rajkummar wrote on the photo-sharing app.
"For Nikam I had to gain around 9-10 kgs and I was eating 2 pizzas and lot of sweets and my fav Aloo Parathas, Biryani and to not use anything glam to look like the part. Hopefully when you will see the film which will be releasing soon you will be able to see all that hardwork in the film," he further went on to write.
