Siddhant Chaturvedi and Pratibha Ranta to Lead Karan Johar's Dear Comrade Hindi Remake

Six years after acquiring the rights to the Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Dear Comrade, Karan Johar's Dharma Productions is finally moving ahead with its official Hindi adaptation. According to the latest reports as of January 2026, the studio has found its lead pair in Siddhant Chaturvedi and rising star Pratibha Ranta.

The project, which had been on the backburner since 2019, has been revitalized following the recent success of the leads in their respective projects.

Dharma Productions is reportedly betting big on this fresh pairing. Siddhant Chaturvedi, who recently delivered a power-packed performance in Dhadak 2 (2025), is said to bring the required intensity to the role originally played by Vijay Deverakonda.

Joining him is Pratibha Ranta, the breakout star of Laapataa Ladies (2024). Ranta's ability to portray deep emotional vulnerability made her the top choice for the character of Lilly, a role that earned Rashmika Mandanna significant acclaim in the original.

Karan Johar famously bought the remake rights of Dear Comrade in 2019, even before the Telugu film's theatrical release, after being moved by a special screening. However, the project faced several delays. Now, in early 2026, the studio is reimagining the story to fit a Pan India sensibility.

The official Hindi adaptation of the 2019 Telugu blockbuster Dear Comrade, originally directed by Bharat Kamma, is finally moving into production under Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.The creative vision for the film aims to preserve the raw emotional intensity and hard-hitting social commentary that defined the original, while seamlessly adapting the narrative to resonate with a contemporary audience.

While the original Telugu version saw a mixed response at the box office, it eventually developed a massive cult following on digital platforms. Dharma Productions aims to replicate the slow burn success of the original but on a much larger scale in the Hindi market. With Siddhant Chaturvedi's growing popularity as a versatile leading man and Pratibha Ranta's critical acclaim, the Hindi remake of Dear Comrade is poised to be one of the most anticipated romantic dramas of 2026.