At the end of 3 Idiots (2009), one of the most popular Hindi films ever made, Rancho (Aamir Khan) had settled down as a grassroots educator in Ladakh, Farhan (R Madhavan) was a renowned wildlife photographer in a utility vest, and humble Raju (Sharman Joshi), if not exactly the pick of the bunch, was nonetheless happy and contented in his job. So, where do their lives go from here?
This is the question that director Rajkumar Hirani and his writing partner Abhijat Joshi, currently developing a sequel to their landmark film, are presently contending with.
"I'm still working on that script," Hirani told THR India.
"There is a lot of work left. It's primarily about what happens to these characters 15-20 years later. It's not about college or anything. They are married and have children now. They are experiencing mid-life crisis, and so we will have to see, now what next?"
Like a lot of his filmography, the original film was an emotional, heartfelt appeal to a nation, highlighting the punishing business of academic rat races in India and encouraging an entire generation to pursue their dreams. The film's anthemic phrase — "All is well" — became a reassuring symbol of its times.
Will the sequel also have a message? "Of course," Hirani confirms, laughing. "A big one!".
Reports of a 3 Idiots sequel were confirmed earlier this year by Aamir Khan, who played the footloose genius Phunsukh Wangdu, or Rancho, in the first film. The sequel is expected to reunite the original cast, with Khan reprising the role of the brilliant, eccentric inventor.
"The script still needs some work, but the story itself is really good — unusual, with the same humour as the first film. It follows the characters from 3 Idiots, picking up 10 years later,” Khan had earlier shared.
Meanwhile, Hirani, who last directed the Shah Rukh Khan-led immigration drama Dunki, is making his streaming debut as showrunner with Pritam & Pedro. The forthcoming JioHotstar series is a seriocomic take on the world of cybercrime policing, and stars Arshad Warsi, Vir Hirani and Vikrant Massey.