Actor Viraj Ghelani is set to headline Party Animals, an upcoming comedy produced by Yoodlee Films, releasing in cinemas on 20 November 2026. The film revolves around two childhood friends whose New Year's Eve reunion spirals into an increasingly chaotic night of bad decisions, romantic tangles and escalating mayhem — set against the backdrop of Mumbai.

What the Film Is About

Ghelani plays Mann Patel, one half of a duo alongside Armaan Khanna, portrayed by Arjun Tanwar. The two friends reconnect for a night out that quickly unravels into a series of mishaps involving cops, goons, a party bus and, reportedly, a drunk horse. The makers describe it as a comedy about friendship, FOMO, growing up and the consequences of impulsive choices.

'Party Animals is a one of a kind movie. It's a full-on masti film, and I am really excited for audiences to experience it. It's packed with friendship, madness and situations that just keep getting crazier. There's so much energy and relatability in this world, and I can't wait for everyone to watch it on the big screen,' Viraj Ghelani said.

The Creative Team Behind It

The film is directed by Ravi Chhabriya and produced by Vikram Mehra and Siddharth Anand Kumar under Yoodlee Films. The screenplay is credited to Ali Haji, Khush Mullick and Veer Panchal. The ensemble cast features Pragati Nagpal, Naqiyah Haji, Alam Khan, Saqib Ayub, Kamlesh Sawant, Anil Charanjeett, Aaron Koul, Vijay Patkar and Manoj Joshi.

Producer Siddharth Anand Kumar described the project's intent candidly: 'With Party Animals, we wanted to have some fun with the idea of what a film is supposed to be and how it is supposed to talk about itself. The film is unapologetically chaotic, irreverent and very much in on the joke. We're not going to pretend that every decision these characters make is a good one. In fact, the worse their decisions get, the more fun things become. Sometimes, you just have to let the madness do its thing.'

Hollywood Inspirations and Indian Setting

The film draws creative inspiration from Hollywood buddy comedies including The Hangover, Superbad and 21 Jump Street, transplanting their friendship-driven humour and escalating chaos into an Indian urban context. Notably, Yoodlee Films has previously carved a niche for edgy, genre-blending content, and Party Animals appears to continue that positioning.

Viraj Ghelani's Growing Filmography

The film marks another step in Ghelani's expanding career as an actor and digital content creator. He previously appeared in Govinda Naam Mera (2022) and the blockbuster Jawan (2023), and was seen in Do Deewane Seher Mein earlier in 2026. Most recently, he featured in the Gujarati film Mitrata, which explored the arc of three college friends navigating love, heartbreak and the passage of time. Party Animals, arriving later the same year, puts him squarely in the spotlight as a lead.

The film is scheduled to open in cinemas on 20 November 2026, positioning itself for the pre-winter release window.