A sequel to the hit 2009 Bollywood film 3 Idiots is in development, with director Rajkumar Hirani revealing that the potential follow-up will be set about 20 years after the events of the original movie.
Hirani said the script remains under development and that the project is not yet at the stage where an official announcement can be made.
“We are still writing. Once it reaches the right point, then we will talk about it,” Hirani said in an interview with Asian News International (ANI).
Should the sequel move forward, Hirani indicated that the original trio could return, potentially bringing back Aamir Khan as Rancho, R. Madhavan as Farhan, and Sharman Joshi as Raju.
Rather than returning to the characters’ university years, the new story would focus on their lives decades after their college experience.
“It’s not about the students; it’s about 20 years later, what happens in their life,” he said.
Hirani also revealed that the idea was not initially conceived as a direct continuation of 3 Idiots. The concept emerged while he and his creative team were developing another story, which they later found could naturally connect with the characters and universe of the successful film.
Released in 2009, 3 Idiots followed three engineering students as they navigated friendship, career aspirations, academic competition, and the intense expectations surrounding India’s education system. The film starred Khan, Madhavan, Joshi, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Boman Irani.
The movie went on to become a major international success, earning widespread recognition for combining comedy and emotional storytelling while addressing academic pressure and social expectations faced by students.
Hirani stressed that the sequel will only be made if the screenplay reaches a stage where the filmmakers believe the story deserves to be told.