The sequel to Andaaz (2003) is all set to release this year and its producer-director Suneel Darshan has already unveiled a few of its assets. While the teaser was unveiled on January 31, the songs ‘Tere Bin Kahin Dil Na Lagey’, ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Ishq Junooni Hai’ were dropped at regular intervals later on. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Suneel Darshan spoke about the film and a lot more.
EXCLUSIVE: Andaaz 2 trailer expected to be out around Eid; Suneel Darshan opens up on casting Akshay Kumar in Andaaz to launching Aayush Kumar in sequel and why he chose newcomers again
What prompted you to make Andaaz, a sequel to a film which came 22 years ago? Did the blockbuster success of Gadar’s (2001) sequel Gadar 2 (2023) play a part?
Honestly, there was no calculation behind making Andaaz 2. When I wrote the script, I realized that Andaaz 2 is a befitting title. It’s not the same story but somewhere, the storytelling was in the same zone and also, it was a musical and a love triangle just like Andaaz and much more. That’s how we ended up calling it Andaaz 2.
At what stage did Aayush Kumar enter the picture?
He was cast at the eleventh hour. There are two important roles in the film – of the lead guy’s friends. The lead man was yet to be cast and at the same time, I was also casting people around his character. That’s when the casting director brought Aayush along. While talking to him, I realized that this guy could be the lead. I signed him and I don’t think it dawned on him for some time that he was going to play the lead (laughs)!
In Andaaz, you had Akshay Kumar and in Andaaz 2, you have cast Aayush Kumar!
(Laughs) Yes, that’s a coincidence!
Were you always in favour of casting newcomers in Andaaz 2?
Yes. Even Andaaz had a fresh cast.
Except Akshay Kumar…
He was our in-house hero during that time. For 7 years, we did several films together, which was quite a record. That film had 2 newcomers and so did this film – Aayush Kumar and Aakaisha. Natasha Fernandez has done one film with me before (Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha; 2017). Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta became quite big thanks to Andaaz; here’s hoping the same happens with these two newcomers as well!
Have you been in touch with Akshay Kumar? Did you tell him about Andaaz 2?
I haven’t met him since Dosti (2005). I never got an opportunity to meet him. Once or twice, he wished me on my birthday.
In Andaaz 2’s teaser, I saw there’s a bit of action as well…
Yes. And that was present even in Andaaz briefly. The action in Andaaz 2 is a little more (than the first part). Having said that, it’s not an action film. It’s a social, romantic film. Andaaz was on the lines of Prem Rog (1982) and Milan (1967). Andaaz 2 is not on the lines of any film. It has a novel subject which I would not like to disclose at this point. But it is peppered with music, drama, comedy, action, etc.
Talking of music, Nadeem has composed the music. In the teaser, we could see that a line from a song of Andaaz, ‘Yehi toh dil churane ka andaaz hota hai’ has been recreated in the sequel, albeit with a small change in the lyrics…
I thought some aspects, which are intrinsic to the series, should be incorporated in the sequel. When you have the availability of the song, then why not use it?
How much time did it take to compose the music?
We took our time constructing the music. It was very important to the structure of the film. Also, that era was of Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. They worked in all of our films. Sonu Nigam had just come in at that time. But as two decades have passed since then, we signed new and formidable singers. I retained Shaan as he was appropriate for one of the songs. Neeraj Shridhar has sung one song. From the younger lot, we have Javed Ali, Palak Mucchal, Asees Kaur, Amit Mishra, Mohd Irfan and Shadab Faridi. In short, there are 9 singers.
When can we expect the trailer to be out?
It should be out around Eid. The theatrical trailer usually comes 3 to 4 weeks before a film releases.
You have a long association with Panorama Films. Will they distribute Andaaz 2?
We haven’t taken a final call. They proposed to come on board. I want to finish the film, show it to them and then decide.
Nowadays the window has lessened between the release of the trailer and the film…
Yes, because often the makers don’t have that much material (to promote). Nowadays, all they want is one hook song, one optional song and that’s it. We are the Orientals – we are not Hollywood. Our subject deals with Oriental issues, however modernized we may be. Our music, which is so intrinsic to our storytelling, has to be there.
Would you like Akshay Kumar to be a part of the trailer launch?
Well, I would not want to mix things. Let them (Andaaz 2 cast) have their share of the limelight. I don’t want that to deviate from anything.
Also Read: Aayush Kumar on debuting with Suneel Darshan’s Andaaz 2, “I actually pinched myself to check whether this was a dream”
More Pages: Andaaz 2 Box Office Collection
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