New director to replace Siddharth Anand for 'Pathaan 2': Report
What's the story
Yash Raj Films (YRF), spearheaded by Aditya Chopra, is expanding its Spy Universe with a standalone franchise based on its 2023 blockbuster, Pathaan.
Fans can rejoice as reports confirm the return of Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in their captivating roles as RAW agent Pathaan and ISI agent Rubina Mohsin, respectively.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Siddharth Anand—the director of Pathaan—will reportedly not be directing the sequel.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Pathaan 2 will be the eighth film in the Spy Universe, which includes successful films like Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, and Pathaan.
The lineup also features Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's War 2, directed by Ayan Mukerji, and an untitled spy thriller starring Alia Bhatt and Bobby Deol.
Coming back to Pathaan—the 2023 film marked a significant milestone for Hindi cinema—earning a gross surpassing Rs. 1,000cr.
It also led to a resurgence of SRK.
Directorial change
'Pathaan 2's filming begins by 2024 end
According to reports from PeepingMoon, Chopra has chosen a new filmmaker for the sequel, a source close to YRF disclosed.
"Chopra has never repeated directors for [Spy Universe's] sequels, as is evident from the Tiger and War sequels. The tradition continues with Pathaan 2, with Anand stepping aside for a new director."
"While the director for the sequel hasn't been finalized, plans are underway to take the project to the floor by the end of this year," said the source.
Upcoming project
Meanwhile, Anand is still set to direct 'Tiger vs Pathaan'
Despite his departure from Pathaan 2, Anand remains closely associated with YRF.
As confirmed earlier, he is set to direct the much-awaited Tiger vs. Pathaan—a thrilling project featuring a faceoff between the titans Salman Khan (Tiger) and SRK (Pathaan).
The filming schedule for this project is yet to be confirmed, but it's expected that Pathaan 2 will set the stage for this epic showdown.
New collaboration between Anand and SRK
Separately, SRK and Anand are collaborating on their next, 'King'
Separately, Khan and Anand are teaming up for another film, titled King.
Directed by Sujoy Ghosh and backed by Red Chillies Entertainment, this action-packed movie promises jaw-dropping stunts, masterminded by co-producer Anand.
The film holds special significance as it marks the theatrical debut of SRK's daughter, Suhana Khan, who previously debuted in Zoya Akhtar's The Archies on Netflix.
Filming for King is scheduled to commence next month in Mumbai.