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Bollywood’s Tiff with Sequels…And the Few Times It Got Them Right!

As I stumbled across the trailer of Total Dhamaal on Youtube the other day, the only thought I had was…WHY? I didn’t understand the need to make another film, pulling the already stretched narrative even further and tarnishing the reputation of a brilliant first film, which now seems like a fluke! Upon watching the trailer, I was left more confused and disappointed. Another sequel that was not required.

This made me think that lately, Bollywood has had a Sequel Mania. It doesn’t matter if there’s nothing left to say after the first film, give it a sequel anyway is what the makers feel. So here’s a list of the worst sequels that nobody asked for.

Krrish 3

Starting the list with the movie that we hated to see go flop because the previous two instalments of the film were genuinely good. If the makers had decided to stop there, we wouldn’t mind. Krrish 3 tried to do too much in a film and it failed to impress us.

Kahani 2

Another poor sequel to a brilliant film, Kahaani 2 let down its viewers who went for it expecting another edge-of-the-seat thriller like the former. Sheer disappointment when they realized that the sequel had nothing to do with the first film, and on top of that, wasn’t as good as the first either.

Rock On 2

I don’t think anyone dislikes Rock On. Unfortunately, that can’t be said about Rock On 2. Like many other films on this list, this one too didn’t go down well with the audiences and they wished the movie hadn’t spoiled the legacy of the original film.

Double Dhamaal

Dhamaal was a rare gem. It is loved by almost everyone. Double Dhamaal? It turned out to be a disaster. It was a movie filled with crass jokes and made no sense at all. Even the original actors playing the old characters could not retain the charm of the original movie.

Welcome Back

I feel sad that they did this. Welcome was one of the most hilarious films produced and ranked in some of the most favourite films of all time. Welcome Back was a cheap, crass continuation of Welcome which was bound to fail at the box office.

Hate Story 3

I don’t think anyone asked for Hate Story to be turned into a franchise! The first film was bad already and there wasn’t any need for terrible films being sold only for sex. But it was made regardless, and it flopped thankfully.

Force 2

In film critique Rajeev Masand’s words, ‘Much like last week’s Rock On 2, the truth is that Force 2 is a sequel the world could have done without’ And that’s where we stand on this one. Although not terrible, the film was just not needed and ended up getting mixed reviews.

Yamala Pagla Deewana 2

Do I even need to say more? This film was incomprehensible and gets boring really quickly. I hope they stop making this since YPD 3 is also lined up.

Housefull 2

Stupidity at its peak. And in sequels! What a delight (please sense the sarcasm!) Housefull is a film that passes of immature foolishness as humour and expects to drive the whole movie on stupidity.

Great Grand Masti

A series that started out as a sleazy sex comedy turned weirder with each installment. Great Grand Masti is about a ghost who wants sex. It doesn’t get weirder than that. The movie bombed terribly at the box office and was rejected by the audiences.

However not every movie sequel produced in Bollywood was bad. Here are few that truly got it right!

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

Rajkumar Hirani’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai was a fitting sequel to Munna Bhai MBBS. It was just as hilarious and continued the tale of the soft-hearted goon Munna Bhai and his sidekick Circuit. It opened to raving reviews and was a huge success as well.

Dhoom 2

The action-filled series about robbers making an escape from the cops became an even bigger success when Hrithik Roshan joined the franchise and added his charm to the film. It was a fast-paced thrilling film that was a good sequel to the original film.

Phir Hera Pheri

This was a laughter riot and it brought back the fan-favourites, Raju, Shyam and Babu played by the original trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal. The film made a lot of buzz and lived up to the expectations set by Hera Pheri.

Aashiqui 2

Aashiqui 2 came 23 years after the first movie and didn’t have anything to do with that film. However, it was loved by the audiences and was instantly declared a hit.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns

This film was on par with the original film if not better. This captured the characters perfectly and took their stories forward in a hilarious manner. The dialogues were crisp, the story brilliant and the whole package was extremely appealing. This film did justice as a sequel.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

The latest film to be added to the list, it is the most successful sequel of all time! Baahubali 2 was truly the perfect conclusion to this mythical saga that director S.S Rajamouli created. It lived up to its hype and satisfied the audiences thoroughly!

Well looking at the list, it sure looks like very few filmmakers have been able to do justice when making a sequel. I wish that the trend of bad sequels in Bollywood ends soon and I wish even more that the trend of making unnecessary sequels ends first. Until then let’s rejoice by watching our favourite movies that haven’t been turned into a sequel…. Yet!

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