New Delhi: Early 2000s heartthrob Jugal Hansraj is reuniting with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur after nearly four decades, for Masoom: The Next Generation. Hansraj starred in Masoom as a child actor, with original cast members Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi returning for its sequel.
For Kapur, the reunion is an emotional moment, and it’s as beautiful as coming back home.
“Jugal was just a young boy when we made Masoom, and today, welcoming him back as an accomplished actor is both emotional and deeply fulfilling,” he told Bollywood Hungama. Kapur added that reuniting with Shah and Azmi is a reminder that “some relationships transcend cinema.”
Masoom: The Next Generation is a spiritual sequel to the director’s classic released in 1983. The story was based on American author Erich Segal’s 1983 novel Man, Woman and Child. Segal’s novel was also adapted into the 1982 Malayalam film as Olangal, and an American movie with the same title as the novel starring Martin Sheen was released in 1980. The Hindi version also featured Saeed Jaffery and Supriya Pathak, and introduced child actors Urmila Matondkar and Aaradhana, as well as Hansraj, who was 10 years old at that time.
Apart from the original cast, the film also has Manoj Bajpayee, Nithya Menen and Kaveri Kapur.
For Hansraj, who was last seen in Netflix’s Nadaaniyan (2025), returning to the set of Masoom was an easy decision. When Kapur himself called the 54-year-old to reprise his childhood role, the actor said, “I’m still remembered as the Masoom boy.”
“I constantly get stopped by people even here in New York, and they tell me with a warm smile that their kids or grandkids still listen to ‘Lakdi Ki Kaathi’. They meet me as if I’m a member of their family,” Hansraj said.
Kapur’s 1983 story follows the married life of Indu (Azmi) and DK (Shah), who have two daughters. Soon it is revealed that DK had an extramarital affair in Nainital, which resulted in a child. The boy, now nine years old comes to live with his father after his mother died.
Other than its memorable portrayal of family dynamics, Kapur’s directorial debut is also remembered for its songs. Composed by RD Burman with lyrics by Gulzar, songs such as ‘Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi’, ‘Lakdi Ki Kaathi’ and ‘Do Naina Aur Ek Kahani’ are remembered even today.
Its sequel promises to deliver a similarly iconic soundtrack with music composed by Academy Award winner AR Rahman, who is also the co-producer of the film.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)