Celebrity chef and actor Ranveer Brar is set to make his mark in international cinema. The MasterChef India judge will play a biryani chef in a yet-to-be-titled film helmed by a UK-based director. The cross-border story travels from India to Saudi Arabia and then to England, and shooting is planned to begin early next year.
Brar shared the news during a visit to his hometown Lucknow. He explained that his character opens a restaurant in his daughter’s name after moving to Saudi Arabia, and later relocates to England. The film has not yet been officially announced, and the director’s name has not been revealed.
A Story That Crosses Borders
The film follows a chef’s journey across three countries. Brar described the project as a reflection of a larger change he sees coming in how food is shown on screen. The story is rooted in the idea that food can carry personal history, migration, and family ties, rather than just serving as a backdrop.
Brar’s own career has followed a similar path across borders. He has worked in kitchens in India and the United States, and currently runs Kashkan, a restaurant in the UAE that he has described as a culinary journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
Brar Says Food Fiction Has Been Left Untapped
Brar believes food has moved through several phases on screen. It started as recipe content, then became travel shows, reality competitions, short films, and social media reels. The one space that has remained largely empty, he says, is food fiction.
“The food fiction space was vacant and fairly unexplored. But there are so many stories in our culture that revolve around food. In the coming times, I see a lot of stories being made around food. Ab asli food ki kahaniyan kahi jaayengi.”
— Ranveer Brar
He pointed to a short list of Indian films that have put food at the centre of the story: Bawarchi (1973), The Lunchbox (2013), Daawat-e-Ishq (2014), and Chef (2017). Brar noted that these films exist, but they are few and far between.
A Short Film That Points the Way
Brar has already put his money behind the idea. He served as presenter for Rampher Ki Kulfi, an 18-minute short film set in the old lanes of Lucknow. The film follows two kulfi sellers competing for customers in Chowk Market. It stars Sanjay Mishra and Sharib Hashmi, and was directed by Lucknow-based filmmaker Archit D. Rasstogi.
The short film, also known in English as Secret Ingredient, was selected for the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026) in the International Short Film Competition category. It screened on June 16, 2026, at the FD-NFDC Complex in Mumbai. It will next travel to the International Film Festival of South Asia (IFFSA) in Toronto.
Brar said the response to the short film has convinced him that audiences are ready for food-driven stories.
“I do feel food and fiction is the next step in content and the audience will also connect to it as we all relate to such stories.”
Food Stories Are Finding Bigger Audiences Worldwide
The idea that food can carry a film is not limited to India. A Chinese film released this year, Once Upon a Time in the Middle East, blends food and anti-war themes. Directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng, the film has crossed 21 million yuan at the box office and holds a Douban score of 8.7. It ranks among the top three highest-grossing films in China in 2026.
Film festivals are also paying closer attention to food narratives. The Busan Food Film Festa in South Korea returned for its 10th year in June 2026, screening 17 films centred on food and dining. The GASTRO CINEMA Film Festival, now in its 8th edition, is scheduled for November 13 to 19, 2026, and accepts submissions from filmmakers worldwide.
Brar’s Acting Journey So Far
Brar made his acting debut in the 2022 series Modern Love Mumbai. He followed that with a pivotal role in The Buckingham Murders (2024), the Hansal Mehta thriller starring Kareena Kapoor Khan. Brar played Daljeet Kohli in the film and has spoken about how the experience changed his approach to acting.
In an interview earlier this year, Brar said the 21-day shoot in London for The Buckingham Murders was a turning point.
“Those 21 days of shooting in London—completely cut off from family, fully immersed in the character—it was my first film, not a series.”
He has also appeared in the 2026 film Maa Ka Sum and was a contestant on the Indian version of The Traitors.
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What Comes Next for Brar
Beyond the international film, Brar has several projects in the pipeline. His new book on tandoor cooking has gone into print. He has also shot a celebrity reality show called Yess Chef for YouTube. The next season of MasterChef India is expected to begin production in December 2026.
For now, the international film remains the biggest step in his acting career. The yet-to-be-announced project is set to begin filming early next year, with Brar leading a story that puts food, family, and migration at its centre.
Also Read: The Traitors Season 2: Ranveer Brar, Abhishek Malhan and Parul Gulati Eliminated in Latest Episodes
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