After more than a decade, ‘Cocktail’, the 2012 Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty starrer, is getting a sequel. ‘Cocktail 2’, directed once again Homi Adajoniaincludes a new cast Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanonand Rashmika Mandanna in a fresh story that promises to carry on the spirit of the original. Co-writer Tarun Jain, in his latest interview, talked about the rise of the franchise films and was responding to old critics.
‘Cocktail 2’ writer Tarun Jain talks about the sequel boom in Bollywood
With at least half a dozen sequels lined up for release in the next seven months, Hindi cinema’s reliance on established intellectual property is increasingly being abandoned. Jain argued that the trend is not just about playing it safe. In an interview with Variety India, he said, “With a well-established and successful IP, producers get free marketing, a brand that audiences recognize and associate with a film they watch. That’s why you see a lot of ‘franchise movies’, which are not necessarily true sequels”.The writer concluded: “So while it may seem like producers are going safe or running out of ‘fresh ideas’, the reality is more nuanced.”
Tarun Jain talks about putting himself in the shoes Imtiaz Ali For ‘Cocktail 2’
While the original ‘Cocktail’ was written by Imtiaz Ali, Tarun Jain and Luv Ranjan took over the writing duties of the sequel. Given Ali’s huge popularity in Hindi romantic cinema, his entry into the “Cocktail” universe was always going to invite scrutiny. But Jain stated that he never let that scare him.In the same interview, Tarun Jain said, “Was I scared? For vanity, I’d say no. The fact that one of my favorite filmmakers wrote the original only helped me focus on the work and not settle. It was a challenge to find characters and their conflicts that reflect the contemporary world, while maintaining the spirit of the original.”He added: “It’s a challenge that anyone would naturally feel when being part of such a franchise. But it was quite fun and exciting.”
More about ‘Cocktail 2’
Directed by Homi Adajania, ‘Cocktail 2’ stars Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. The film also stars Dimple Kapadia, Rohit Saraf and Ishita Dutta. It will hit theaters on June 19, 2026.
