In 2018, Imran Khan had taken up to make a short film on India's Mangalyaan mission. This passion project came three years after he quit acting
Imran Khan on the sets of Mangalyaan
Actor Imran Khan who will soon be making his acting comeback went down memory lane on the last day of 2025. On December 31, Imran revisited one of his most cherished projects—a short film depicting India’s Mangalyaan mission. He turned director for the film.
Imran Khan on film on Mangalyaan mission
Sharing his thoughts on social media, Imran spoke about his fascination with the historic space achievement, the creative liberties he took to bring the story to life, and the talented team that helped turn his vision into a cinematic tribute. In his latest post on Instagram, he highlighted not only the scientific marvel of the mission but also the joy of storytelling.
Sharing his photos, the Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na actor wrote, “Back in 2018 I signed on to make a short film depicting the story of Mangalyaan; India's mission to put a spacecraft into Martian orbit. A bit of a science nerd, I had keenly followed the events as they unfolded between 2013-2014, and was very excited at the opportunity to pay due respect to this remarkable achievement.”
“I wanted to tell the story in a factual and science-accurate manner, while also treating the film like a suspense thriller, essentially giving scientists and engineers the 'hero' treatment usually reserved for gun-wielding protagonists.”
“As such, I freely took liberties with the aesthetic of the film, dressing the characters in sharply tailored looks, constructing a slick control room set (Bindiya Chhabria) for which I specifically requested RGB gaming keyboards as a nod to my own fondness for video games, and generally dropping easter eggs and homages all over the place. Star Wars, Star Trek, Interstellar, Hitchhiker's Guide... they're all in there,” added Imran.
“All films are the result of collaborative effort, and my intentions would be nothing without the incredible group of people who poured their energy and talent into the project. Producer punitdmalhotra always had my back, cinematographer anujdhawan13 brought cinematic style and mood to the screen... and a wonderful cast of actors breathed life into the characters and lifted them off the page. It was a pleasure to make this film, do check it out,” he concluded.
Imran Khan to make acting debut after a decade
Imran quit acting after his 2015 film Katti Batti, explaining that he had lost interest in mainstream roles and wanted to focus on his personal well-being. He has been teasing his comeback for a few years now and 2026 will finally see him return to the big screen. He will play a pivotal role in Aamir Khan's production Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos co-directed by Vir Das. The film will be released in theatres on January 16, 2026.
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