Can Rajkumar Santoshi make a spiritual sequel to Andaz Apna Apna?

It was startling and somewhat disconcerting to hear Rajkumar Santoshi, once a glorious filmmaker now reduced to a pitiable relic of his old self, announcing that he wants to make a “spiritual sequel” to his 1994 comedy _Andaz Apna Apna_ called Ada Apni Apni. What on earth is a “spiritual sequel” if not a euphemism for marketing gimmick? Over the years, the film has acquired the reputation of a cult comedy. In the meanwhile, Santoshi, who was once the illustrious director of such powerful dramas as Ghayal, Ghatak and Damini and the grossly underrated Lajja. Santoshi has not made a film since Phata Poster Nikhla Hero in 2013, a misfired comedy starring Shahid Kapoor and Ileana D’Cruz which, one could say, was a “spiritual sequel” to Santoshi’s Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in 2009. Santoshi wanted to make the 2013 film with Ranbir but Ranbir refused the offer. Between 2005 and 2020, Santoshi has announced and shelved innumerable films, including Fateh Singh with Sunny Deol, an untitled rom-com with Salman Khan, Power starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ramayana, featuring Ajay Devgn and Kajol as Ram and Sita. About the Andaz Apna Apna sequel, Santoshi had said to me in 2015, “I don’t believe in creating a franchise by doing sequels or building my own brand. But the demand for a sequel to AAA is unbelievable. If I don’t do it someone else will. That I won’t allow. I’ve ideas for two sequels. One of them is about the two heroes Amar and Prem married and their life thereafter. The world has moved on in 20 years. I see a lot of filmmakers and actors doing an Andaz Apna Apna. I would like to see where the characters have gone after so long.” Thereafter filmmaker-producer Vinay Sinha, who owned the rights to Andaz Apna Apna, made it very clear that Santoshi did not have any legal claim on the cult comedy. Now after two after producer Vinay Sinha’s death, Santoshi is back claiming he will make a “spiritual sequel” to Andaz Apna Apna. Which could mean one of two things: either he has found a way to overcome the legal hassles in doing a sequel to a film that he has not produced himself; or he is trying to generate interest around his on-release film Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh, his first film in ten years. Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News,  India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and Instagram.