Have a basic idea for ‘Ghajini 2’: Director AR Murugadoss

Film director AR Murugadoss during an interview to The Hindu
| Photo Credit: PICHUMANI K

There is a possibility for a Ghajini sequel, says filmmaker A R Murugadoss, who burst onto the Bollywood scene with the Tamil movie’s Hindi adaptation starring Aamir Khan.

Ghajini was a remake of the director’s 2005 Tamil film featuring South star Suriya in the lead. The original film was a box-office hit and gained nationwide popularity after the success of the 2008 Hindi version headlined by Aamir.

Last month, Ghajini producer Allu Aravind expressed his desire to make the second part with the Hindi cinema star. “There is a possibility for Ghajini 2. We have something in mind and we will sit and discuss. If everything goes well, we can do it. I have a basic idea, not a full script. If it is made, it will be made both in Tamil and Hindi as well,” Murugadoss told PTI.

Ghajini revolved around Sanjay, a businessman with anterograde amnesia seeking revenge on those who killed his fiancée, Kalpana. Actor Asin played the role of Kalpana in both Tamil and Hindi versions of the movie.

Murugadoss, also known for films such as Darbar, Thuppakki, Kaththi, and Spyder, said sequels and prequels breathe new life into movies.

“In Hollywood films, even if the character dies, they will recreate it. Besides, there’s always a possibility of a prequel. In Ghajini, we built a character, who has memory loss and is a super-rich guy. So, we can play with that. It’s an interesting character,” he added.

The filmmaker is awaiting the release of his next Hindi movie Sikandar, fronted by Salman Khan. Murugadoss said he had once come close to working with another Khan — Shah Rukh Khan — a few years ago but things didn’t materialise.

He revealed that he had first narrated the idea of Madharasi, his upcoming Tamil movie with Amaran star Sivakarthikeyan, to Shah Rukh.

“During Ghajini time, I met Shah Rukh and I narrated an idea to him. It is the same idea, Madharasi. At the time I had just narrated the idea. I wrote the full script only now. I explained the character to him (Shah Rukh). He liked it and he said, ‘It’s very nice, we can develop it’.

“I texted him a month later, but he didn’t reply. So, I went back. I can’t follow it up regularly. Maybe in future, if there’s anything, we (Shah Rukh and I) will work together,” Murugadoss said. The director said he later adapted the story and approached Sivakarthikeyan for the lead role. “I developed the script, and then I went to Sivakarthikeyan. He did great work in Amaran. I’ve worked with him before in Maan Karate, which I produced. He is a good actor and it has been a great experience working with him,” he said.

Sikandar also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Sharman Joshi, Prateik Babbar, Anjini Dhawan, and Jatin Sarna. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film will be released on March 30, coinciding with the festival of Eid.