Despite recent sequel stumbles, Bollywood is pushing ahead with anticipated follow-ups. Rani Mukerji returns for Mardaani 3, while Ajay Devgn stars in Dhamaal 4 and De De Pyaar De 2. Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 and Kapil Sharma’s Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon 2 are also on the horizon, alongside Masti 4, promising more familiar franchises for audiences.
Over the past few years sequels had become even more valuable than ever before but 2025 has shown a rather rude picture that even some of the biggest properties are no longer a sure-shot guarantee of box office success. This year one saw failure in films like War 2, Baaghi 4, Son of Sardaar 2 , Dhadak 2 and few more. But that has not deterred filmmakers from sequel rush. Here are some of the most anticipated upcoming sequels and franchise extensions:Mardaani 3The Mardaani franchise led by Rani Mukerji has become one of the most respected thriller series in Bollywood. The first film introduced the fierce crime-branch officer Shivani Shivaji Roy, while the second film showcased her facing a chilling and psychologically driven teenage criminal.With Mardaani 3, expectations are naturally high. While details are under wraps, the tone is expected to stay grounded, intense, and socially relevant. The franchise has never relied on glamour or theatrics ,it derives its power from realism and Rani’s uncompromising portrayal. The third installment will feature Gujarati actress Janki Bodiwala who made her Hindi film debut with Shaitaan and is being directed by Abhiraj Minawala who has been assistant director on films like War 2, Tiger 3 and few more. Dhamaal 4The Dhamaal series by Indra Kumar has always been about chaos, confusion, and slapstick fun. After Dhamaal, Double Dhamaal, and Total Dhamaal, Dhamaal 4 was always going to be a natural extension – it is being led by Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, and Javed Jaffrey. The film is slated to release during Eid next year. De De Pyaar De 2The first De De Pyaar De surprised audiences with how effortlessly it blended comedy with emotional maturity. Led by Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Rakul Preet Singh, the film handled age-gap romance with humor and dignity. And now the sequel is less than 10 days away. Besides Ajay and Rakul, R Madhavan , Gautami Kapoor and Meezaan Jafri have been added to the list. This time the action moves to Rakul’s family as how they adjust to her love interest who is older to her by 24 years. Awarapan 2Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan is considered one of his most underrated yet emotionally powerful films. It had soulful music, a heavy moral arc, and Emraan’s restrained, mature performance at its core. Over the past few years, fans have frequently called for Awarapan 2, and the actor himself has hinted interest. Despite the film’s failure to draw audiences to the theaters, after more than a decade its sequel has been announced with Nitin Kakkar directing the film instead of Mohit Suri. The film’s shoot is underway and features Disha Patani in the lead role. Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon 2Kapil Sharma’s debut film Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon was a comedy of errors built around a man juggling multiple marriages. The film performed well at the box office. And now after many years and a couple of unsuccessful stints as an actor he is returning to the franchise for the second part.While the first one was directed by Abbas- Mustan, this one they are producing with Ratan Jain and Ganesh Jain, while directorially duties have been handed over to Anukalp Goswami who earlier wrote dialogues for the first part.Masti 4The Masti series, known for adult humor and mischievous plotting is all set to bring out its 4th installment- the series has been running for almost 20 years.The film led Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, and Aftab Shivdasani this time have company of Arshd Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor. The film’s trailer was released yesterday to mixed responses but the director Milap Zaveri took all of them on his chin and responding to quite a few tweets he asked for people to see the film and then give their judgements. Go to Source
