New Delhi: Zoya Akhtar’s magnum opus, the 2011 film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, recently celebrated 15 years. Akhtar has now confirmed that a sequel is still being considered, though she is not ready to promise when or whether it will happen.
In a recent conversation with Anupama Chopra at Nilaya Monsoon Film Festival, the director was reminded that the two had discussed a sequel five years ago and a story had already been written around the characters.
“Oh, we are on it. Let’s just put it that way. We are on it,” Akhtar said.
However, she made it clear that the sequel will only move forward if they find the right story.
“Yeah, we are on it. So, we don’t know what’ll happen, what won’t. I mean, if we find something that feels correct. Yeah. Catching these characters today, it’ll be nice,” she said.
Last year, a Yas Island advertisement reunited Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan. The campaign, titled Zindagi Ko Yas Bol, brought back several familiar elements from the film, including the same blue car and the infamous pink phone. The campaign was a five-episode series with the trio travelling across Yas Island and getting into the same kind of chaos and banter that made the film memorable.
The “reunion” created considerable excitement online, with many viewers initially believing that the videos were a teaser for a long-awaited sequel.
Akhtar admitted that she too missed the characters and understood why audiences reacted so strongly.
“Yeah, I missed them. And people thought it was a trailer. And then first they were like ‘yay’. But then I got abused in my DMs,” she recalled.
The filmmaker also addressed the criticism around why her stories largely revolve around wealthy and privileged characters.
“It doesn’t bother me now because they’re stories and you’re going to tell stories about all kinds of people,” Akhtar said.
She added that she understands that her characters and their conflicts may not appeal to everyone.
“I totally respect that it’s not something that resonates with you. And I totally respect that it’s not something you’re interested in, and these are not conflicts or complexities that you care about,” she remarked.
However, that, she said, does not mean she will stop telling such stories.
“But I do, so I’ll make them. And someone will watch them; someone is watching them,” she added.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)