In the wake of the passing of prolific actress Sridevi Kapoor, Bollywood fans have been left inquiring about the status of the follow-up to the 1987 film, Mr. India. Produced by Sridevi's husband, Boney Kapoor, and starring the late actress alongside Boney’s son, Anil Kapoor, Mr. India earned praise after its release and became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year. There were no award ceremonies the year of its release or in 1988, but Sridevi was later awarded the 2013 Filmfare Special Award for her performance.
Mr. India stars Anil in the role of Arun Verma, down-on-his-luck orphanage owner who becomes Mr. India after being bequeathed his deceased father’s invisibility device. Sridevi portrays Seema Soni, journalist and love interest of Mr. India while Amrish Puri takes on the role of the antagonist, General Mogambo. With an estimated budget of $1.8 million, the film drew in a box office total of around $7.3 million.
Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in Mr. India (1987)
Considering the genre of film and the box office return of the original, a sequel to Mr. India was bound to make its way to the drawing board. During a 2010 interview with The Times of India, Boney discussed the future of Mr. India 2, stating: “I want to take this film to the highest level. 3D would be a terrific experience with this kind of subject.” He went on to confirm that the concept for a sequel had been on the table for a while, but had only been finalized days before the interview.
The Times of India and India Today also confirmed that both Sridevi and Anil were slated to return as Seema Soni and the titular Mr. India. Salman Khan, known for his starring role in action films like Ek Tha Tiger and Sultan, was also alleged to fill the part of the movie’s villain.
Despite a demand from fans and a desire from Mr. India’s cast and crew to move forward, Mr. India 2 never came to fruition. After Sridevi’s passing, a statement from the film’s director, Shekhar Kapur, painted a grim picture for the future of the sequel. “We were waiting for Mr. India 2,” Kapur wrote in an Instagram post. “That film should have been made by now.”
Though Kapur’s statement doesn’t necessarily mean there will be no sequel, Sridevi’s prominent role in the movie has likely stalled or stopped production altogether.
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