It was like an event from the last millennium when Indra Kumar (director of hits like Dil, Beta, Masti, Dhamaal series) sent out invitations for a good, old-fashioned mahurat to introduce his son Aman as a hero. For years, Indra Kumar has partnered with Ashok Thakeria (Poonam Dhillon’s ex-husband). But for Aman’s debut film Tera Yaar Hoon Main, Indu has a different producer and has handed even the writing and direction to Milap Zaveri.
The starry gathering was reminiscent of bygone times. The two celebrity guests, Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgn, were shifted to Pitamah status with youngsters touching their feet for blessings.
Ageing like wine at 76, the rarely seen Aruna Irani who is Indu’s supportive older sister, came with husband Kuku Kohli. Kuku, incidentally, was the director of Devgn’s first film Phool Aur Kaante. So there were connections all around. Rajkumar Santoshi, now a part of Aamir Khan’s camp with Lahore 1947 (starring Sunny Deol and produced by Aamir), also partied with Indu.
Strangely, Naam, a 20-year-old Devgn film directed by Anees Bazmee (both did it gratis for late Dinesh Patel, producer of Phool Aur Kaante), was the new release in theatres after the Diwali standoff between BB3 and Singham. But no icicles between Devgn and Bazmee. From the way Boney and Anees chatted, it seemed like the sequel to No Entry will be their next announcement. A financial setback like Maidaan would’ve halted most producers. “Except Boney, whose josh is unmatched,” Bazmee had remarked a few months ago. “When he says, let’s get going with No Entry again, he will see it through.”
Sequels are the flavour of the day. But a lot of them come with backstage stories. While some like Housefull (franchise owned by Sajid Nadiadwala), Son Of Sardaar (owned by Devgn’s group) and Race (owned by Ramesh Taurani of Tips) can move forward without baggage, ambitious, overpriced titles like Brahmastra that under-performed, have question marks looming. A quiet tip that Animal will have a part two came from an unlikely source. Suresh Oberoi who played Ranbir Kapoor’s grandfather in Animal was to have died in the film. But director Sandeep Reddy Vanga who considers Suresh a lucky mascot after working with him in Kabir Singh which also did extremely well, did not shoot his death scene and kept him alive. “Because I want you in Animal 2 as well,” Vanga said to Oberoi.
However, Animal will have to wait until Ranbir (busy with Ramayan) and Sandeep Vanga are free. The director has begun work on Spirit, a film he will start shooting for early 2025 with Prabhas. The Telugu star will wear the khaki vardi of a police officer for the first time in his career in Spirit. Incidentally, Prabhas is winning hearts in Mumbai. Zarina Wahab, who plays Sanjay Dutt’s wife in Rajasaab, a bi-lingual with Prabhas, was so charmed by the hero’s manners that she said, “I want to have two sons in my next life. Sooraj (her son in this life) and Prabhas. He is such a lovely person, he hardly goes and sits in his van. He quietly sits on the sets even if it’s somebody else’s shot that’s going on and I’ve never heard him raise his voice at any time.” All brawn, no brash.
To return to sequels, one hears that the long overdue Border 2, which 75-year-old J.P. Dutta will not personally direct, has a township coming up for Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh to take the franchise forward. But legal trouble’s brewing over the township even before the first shot has been filmed. Bharat Shah, who had sent J.P. a legal notice years ago for his dues to be settled (reportedly in the realm of ₹30 crore), will have to be pacified before he allows anybody to go forth with Border 2. No way is hoary-headed J.P. going to cough up any sum to clear the path for a sequel. Stalemate?