WHY EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD SEQUEL

BANKING ON PAST SUCCESS, BOLLYWOOD STUDIOS ARE MAKING FOLLOW-UP FEATURES AND ADDING TO FRANCHISES WITH GUSTO. BUT SUCCESS WITH SEQUELS COMES ONLY WHEN AUDIENCES ARE SERVED THEMATIC FRESHNESS

- SUHANI SINGH

Vicky Kaushal’s fierce turn as Maratha king Sambhaji Maha-raj in Chhaava has ensured that, like Pathaan in 2023, Hindi cinema is off to a soaring start in 2025. With collections of Rs 450 crore in three weeks, the period action drama, which gives a Gladiator-like gritty treatment to its warrior hero, has struck a chord. But Chhava may just be a handful of original films to succeed in 2025, for the upcoming roster is all about sequels and franchise-building exercises.

Picture this. Ajay Devgn will star in not one, or two, but three sequels: Son of Sardaar, Raid and De De Pyaar De. Akshay Kumar returns for yet another Housefull, the second chapter of Kesari and Jolly LLB 3. Tiger Shroff is banking on the fourth instalment of Baaghi to revive his career, while Hrithik Roshan gets into the shoes of a dapper spy for Yash Raj Films’ War 2. These are just a handful of Hindi films where audiences will revisit familiar characters and themes.

The follow-up trend is here to stay. If YRF and Maddock are betting on the spy and horror comedy universe, respectively, Dharma Productions has another Dulhania movie and one more chapter of Dhadak and Kesari, all releasing in 2025. Apoorva Mehta, Dharma’s CEO, doesn’t see it as studios ‘playing it safe’ but more as a means to engage long term with audiences. “Audiences have evolved,” he says. “They form strong emotional connections with characters and worlds, and they want to see those stories continue. In a way, sequels allow us to build deeper character arcs, explore new conflicts, and even experiment with different storytelling approaches.”