Kartik Aaryan's 'Captain India' Sets Story Amid Yemen's Houthi Conflict

Kartik Aaryan's action drama "Captain India" is set amid the Houthi conflict in Yemen, Variety understands exclusively. The film opens in theaters on Aug. 13, 2027, over the Independence Day weekend in India.

The project gives Aaryan his first role as a pilot. Shimit Amin directs, and the story is based on a real humanitarian evacuation — Aaryan's character leads the rescue effort.

How does the conflict figure in?

The Yemen conflict is central to the story, adding a geopolitical dimension to the drama. Exactly how the fighting shapes the plot hasn't been disclosed. The film is expected to follow the obstacles of carrying out a humanitarian mission as tensions rise.

The Saudi-Houthi confrontation that continues today dates to 2015, when Houthi forces took the Yemeni capital Sanaa and Saudi Arabia began a military campaign. "Captain India" draws on what was among the hardest rescue operations India has carried out — in Yemen that same year, when the country evacuated its own citizens along with people from around the world.

Who is making it?

The production roster runs long. T-Series and Baweja Studios produce "Captain India" in association with Dopamine Studios, Aaryan's own banner. Bhushan Kumar of T-Series is among the producers, and S B Films handles production. Nash Vazifdar, Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshee Shrivastava wrote the screenplay.

Shooting is currently underway in the U.K.

What does this change for Aaryan and Amin?

For Aaryan, it's a step into geopolitical action territory. He most recently starred in "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri" and "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3," and has "Naagzilla" and other projects in the pipeline.

For Amin, it marks a return to feature directing after years largely away from it. He remains best known for "Chak De! India" and "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" (2009), both for Yash Raj Films. His most recent credit is an episode of BBC/Netflix's "A Suitable Boy" (2020).

An Independence Day weekend slot makes commercial sense for a film about an Indian rescue operation, and it gives Aaryan a prestige-scale vehicle with a director whose last sports drama still anchors his reputation.