SCOOP: Nikita Dutta, Aakanksha Singh, Paresh Pahuja and Taaha Shah Badusha to lead Dharmatic’s Ruchir Arun directorial Nazdeekiyan

Netflix India's Musafir Cafe, starring Vikrant Massey, Vedika Pinto and Mahima Makwana, has emerged as one of the year's most successful streaming shows.

The eight-episode romantic drama, based on Divya Prakash Dubey's best-selling novel of the same name, has resonated with audiences for its sensitive portrayal of modern relationships and the compromises that often come with adulthood.

While Netflix has already renewed Musafir Cafe for a second season, director Ruchir Arun is not immediately returning to the hills to continue the story of Chander, Sudha and Preeti.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learned that the National Award-winning filmmaker is instead turning his attention to Nazdeekiyan, an Amazon Prime Video series produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment, the digital content division of Dharma Productions.

Nazdeekiyan stars Nikita Dutta, Aakanksha Singh, Paresh Pahuja and Taaha Shah Badusha in the lead roles.

Nikita Dutta is best known for her work in television and has also appeared in films including Lekar Hum Deewana Dil.

She was recently seen alongside Saif Ali Khan in Jewel Thief.

Aakanksha Singh, who has also worked extensively in television, has featured in shows such as Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha and films including Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Runway 34.

Paresh Pahuja has previously starred in Bandish Bandits and Chand Mera Dil, while Taaha Shah Badusha rose to prominence with his portrayal of Nawab Tajdar Baloch in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi.

Set against a contemporary backdrop and exploring a similar emotional terrain to Karan Johar's 2006 film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Nazdeekiyan follows two couples whose lives are thrown into upheaval when their respective spouses are drawn into an all-consuming relationship.

Caught between duty and desire, the characters must confront a difficult question: is true happiness worth the heartbreak it may cause to the people they love? The series is written by Priyanka Bannerjee, Prateek Payodi, Abhinandan Sridhar and Heem Verma, with dialogues by Preeti Mamgain.

Bollywood Hungama has further learned that Nazdeekiyan is currently in the final stages of scripting, with pre-production expected to begin within the next two months.

The series is likely to go on floors towards the end of 2026 and is eyeing a 2027 premiere on Prime Video.

The project marks an interesting next step for Arun, who has built a reputation for sensitive portrayals of contemporary relationships and emotionally layered storytelling through projects such as Little Things, Feels Like Ishq and Unpaused.