Rajkumar Hirani Shuts Down Rumours Of New Film With Ranbir Kapoor After Sanju Success: Ab Ye Kahan Se…

Rajkumar Hirani has dismissed speculation that he is preparing a new film with Ranbir Kapoor, putting an end to reports that the two were set to reunite after Sanju. The filmmaker said he is not working with Ranbir “at the moment”, though he remains open to collaborating with the actor again if the right project comes together.

The clarification matters because Hirani and Ranbir’s last film together became a major box-office milestone. Sanju, based on Sanjay Dutt’s life, was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2018 and remained Ranbir’s biggest commercial success until Animal. Any fresh pairing between the actor and director was therefore bound to attract attention across the industry.

Rajkumar Hirani clears the air on Ranbir Kapoor film reports

Reports had suggested that Hirani was developing a film based on an athlete with Ranbir in the lead. Some accounts also claimed the project had been pushed to 2027 because of scheduling issues, while the script was still being worked on. Hirani, however, said there is no such film currently in motion.

“No, I'm not making anything with Ranbir at the moment. But I would love to work with him again. I did read reports that we're doing a film. Many a times, I look at newspapers and come to know of the films I'm making, which makes me wonder ki abb yeh kahan se aaya,” Hirani told News 18, reacting to the speculation with humour.

The statement does not close the door on a future reunion. It only confirms that no active Ranbir Kapoor project is on Hirani’s immediate slate. For fans, that distinction is important, especially at a time when casting rumours often travel faster than official announcements in Hindi cinema.

Hirani’s name has also been linked to other major projects. The filmmaker is reportedly focused on a biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke with Aamir Khan. At the same time, two of his most loved franchises, 3 Idiots and Munna Bhai, continue to be subjects of keen public interest.

3 Idiots sequel and Munna Bhai 3 are still being written

Hirani confirmed that both 3 Idiots sequel and Munna Bhai 3 are in the writing stage. He did not attach a production timeline to either film, making it clear that the scripts will decide when they move forward. “It's all in the writing stage at the moment. Both the films will happen. But it all depends on when the scripts are ready,” he said.

That measured response is in line with Hirani’s working style. His films have often relied on long writing periods, strong emotional arcs and carefully built characters. The pressure around these two titles is also unusually high. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and Lage Raho Munna Bhai turned Sanjay Dutt’s Munna and Arshad Warsi’s Circuit into enduring pop-culture figures.

3 Idiots, led by Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, became one of Hindi cinema’s most influential campus dramas. Its conversation around education pressure, parental expectations and career choices still finds younger audiences through television and streaming. A sequel would need to justify not only nostalgia, but also a fresh social and emotional reason to exist.

Hirani has earlier indicated that a possible 3 Idiots follow-up would revisit the trio much later in life. The idea of seeing the characters as older, married and with children has already generated curiosity. But his latest comments suggest that the film remains an idea under development rather than a project ready for production.

Pritam And Pedro marks Hirani’s streaming debut

While speculation around his theatrical slate continues, Hirani is now preparing for Pritam And Pedro. The project marks his streaming debut and also introduces his son, Vir Hirani, on screen. It is set to premiere on JioHotstar on July 3.

The cast includes several actors who have worked with Hirani before, including Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani and Mona Singh. Their presence gives the project a familiar Hirani universe quality, although the filmmaker has stressed that casting is never automatic, even with long-time collaborators.

Responding to Arshad’s remark that “Raju Hirani’s name” is enough for actors to say yes, Hirani said the process is more practical than that. “No, it's nothing like that. Arshad's just being generous. It doesn't work like that. You obviously want to figure out who's the best person for a particular role and then you talk to them,” he said.

He added that he never assumes an actor will accept a part simply because of past association. “I don't take it for granted that the person will say yes to it. They need to hear the story, like it and feel that there's something in it they can contribute,” Hirani said.

For Pritam And Pedro, Hirani felt Arshad was the right fit because of his range beyond comedy. He pointed to Sehar as an example of the actor’s ability to handle serious material. The comment is significant because Arshad’s popular image is still strongly shaped by comic roles, especially Circuit in the Munna Bhai films.

Hirani also underlined that smaller parts receive close attention during casting. He said actors sometimes audition when the team is unsure, because every character has to work within the film’s world. Arshad echoed that view, saying even brief appearances in Hirani’s films often stay with audiences because the characters are well-defined.

For now, Hirani’s confirmed focus is on Pritam And Pedro and the writing of his future films. The Ranbir Kapoor reunion may remain a popular wish, but the filmmaker has made it clear that it is not happening yet. The next real update will depend on completed scripts, not industry chatter.