‘Munna Bhai 3′ NOT SHELVED, Rajkumar Hirani opens up about the biggest hurdle: ‘It needs to Match the standard of what we already have’
For nearly two decades, fans have eagerly awaited the return of Sanjay Dutt’s Munna and Arshad Warsi’s Circuit. While speculation surrounding the fate of ‘Munna Bhai 3’ has surfaced repeatedly over the years, filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and actor Arshad Warsi have now clarified that the project is very much alive and remains under active development.According to Hindustan Times, speaking during promotions for their upcoming streaming venture ‘Pritam and Pedro’, the duo revealed that the issue is not a lack of ideas but rather finding the perfect story that can live up to the legacy of the franchise.
Rajkumar Hirani’s search for the right story continues
The journey of the beloved franchise began with ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ in 2003, followed by the hugely successful ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ in 2006. Both films earned critical acclaim and built a loyal fan base, making expectations for a third installment exceptionally high.Rajkumar Hirani admitted that conceptualising new adventures for Munna and Circuit has never been difficult. The challenge, according to him, is creating a narrative that remains equally engaging from beginning to end.Explaining the delay, he said, “If you only want to see Munna Bhai up to the interval, I can make five films right now. Because I don’t have the story beyond that point.”
Why Rajkumar Hirani refuses to rush a sequel
Despite knowing that a third installment would generate tremendous excitement at the box office, Hirani insists that commercial success alone cannot be the reason for making another film in the franchise. “Genuinely, I want to make one. Anyone else in my place might have said, ‘Just write any script, it will get a massive opening and make solid money.’ But I don’t want to do that. We made two great films; if I only cared about the money, I would have made four or five versions by now. It needs to at least match the standard of what we already have. That’s where I get stuck,” he said.The filmmaker emphasized that maintaining the quality established by the first two films remains his biggest priority.
Arshad Warsi reveals three scripts already exist
Contrary to widespread assumptions that the project lacks a screenplay, Arshad Warsi disclosed that multiple versions of the story have already been written.“There are actually three pretty much unfinished scripts sitting there. And all three are genuinely better than most of the scripts I have ever heard—I am not kidding. Each one of them has elements that immediately grab your attention. The thoughts and the scenes are absolutely beautiful,” he shared.According to Warsi, every draft possesses strong emotional and dramatic moments, but each still lacks a crucial element needed to complete the narrative. Arshad further explained that the development process has stalled because the writers are searching for a perfect resolution that ties everything together.“It just lacks that one tiny connection, that one little piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Once that fits into place, we will be good to go. Otherwise, somewhere the ending is missing, or it’s not connecting smoothly. Eventually, he will find it,” he added. The actor remains confident that Hirani will eventually crack the formula and deliver a worthy continuation of the franchise.The unexpected success of GandhigiriDuring the conversation, Hirani also reflected on how some of the franchise’s most iconic moments became cultural phenomena without any deliberate planning.“You don’t sit and write thinking, ‘People will remember Jaadu ki Jhappi or Gandhigiri.’ If you start writing like that, it becomes very manipulative,” he said.The director recalled how the team once believed another dialogue from ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ would become popular among audiences. However, it was the concept of Gandhigiri that unexpectedly resonated across the country and became part of popular culture.“We had a track where Lucky Singh is a corrupt builder and has to adapt to Gandhigiri. We wrote a line where Munna and Circuit tell him, ‘Whatever you usually do in life, do the exact opposite.’ We used that line a couple of times in the film and thought it might catch on as a popular catchphrase. To this day, I don’t think a single person remembers that dialogue! On the flip side, we thought the word Gandhigiri might not catch on, but it became a massive phenomenon. You just have to write with your gut and leave it at that,” he recalled.
Arshad’s hilarious memory of playing circuit
One of the lighter moments of the discussion came when Arshad Warsi revealed that he barely remembers his performances once a project is completed.“I literally forget my work immediately after finishing a shoot. Raju knows that for Munna Bhai 2 (‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’), I had no idea how I acted! They had to show me the tape of the first film and say, ‘Son, look, you acted like this,’ and then I literally had to imitate myself,” he joked.His candid confession left everyone amused and offered a glimpse into his easygoing approach to acting.
Hope remains for munna and circuit’s return
Although ‘Munna Bhai 3’ has yet to move into production, Hirani confirmed that discussions are still ongoing with Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and writer Abhijat Joshi. The team continues to explore various ideas while searching for the final ingredient that can elevate the film to the level expected by audiences.Ending on an optimistic note, Hirani reassured fans that the beloved characters have not been abandoned.“At some stage, it will definitely happen,” he said.For now, the wait continues, but the creators insist that ‘Munna Bhai 3’ is far from shelved and may eventually reunite one of Hindi cinema’s most loved on-screen duos. Go to Source
