Boney Kapoor’s much-awaited sequel ‘No Entry 2’ has faced many hurdles. Director Anees Bazmee has been brought in, while Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Arjun Kapoor have replaced the original cast. However, both Diljit and Varun withdrew. With Rs 30 crore said to have already been spent, the film’s release remains uncertain.
Boney Kapoor created a buzz in the industry about a year and a half ago when he announced that he was working on a sequel to his 2005 blockbuster comedy ‘No Entry’. The media were quick to congratulate him and the mood was very positive all around.
With Indian cinema’s rise in the trend of franchises and sequels at the time, Boney’s ad seemed like a surefire winner.
‘No entry 2 Ropes in a great exit and a fresh new crew
Anees Bazmee, who directed the original film, was in very good form after the success of ‘Bhool Pehliya’ and was one of the most popular directors in the industry at that time. He reportedly signed a huge sum to be a part of the sequel which was titled ‘No Entry Mein Entry’. As for the cast, the original stars Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan have been replaced by Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and
Arjun Kapoor
.
Diljit’s exit throws the first spanner in the works for No Entry 2
However, things started to unravel when Diljit decided to exit the project. By that point, Boney and his team had allegedly already spent a significant amount scouting locations in India and abroad. As is well known, when Bonny travels, he rarely does so with a small team.
‘No Entry 2’ reveals Boney Kapoor’s taste for extravagance
According to the Free Press Journal, Boney is one of those who believe in extravagance. He always makes sure that wherever he goes he is noticed.
He always believes in doing things elegantly. He will travel first/business class with an entourage of personal assistants and a large crew, even if it is a location hunting trip within or outside India.
Varun Dhawan’s box office woes add to No Entry 2’s problem
The film faced further problems when Varun’s box office status became uncertain. His patriotic film ‘Border 2’, which released in January this year, gave a boost to his career, but his two back-to-back comedies, ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’ and ‘Hain Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’, severely damaged his image.
Varun decided to quietly walk away from the film Boney on his own. In an informal conversation with a media person, he said: “I need time to think.
We are not sharing any career updates now.”
Arjun Kapoor’s return adds complexity to No Entry 2
With Arjun Kapoor looking to make a forceful and well-calculated return to the big screen after his long absence, he will need credible and popular co-stars by his side to give his career revival the boost it needs. Bonnie, like his father, understands this better than anyone.
But here things get difficult. Reports suggest that the No Entry 2 sequel has already burned around Rs 30 crore in Boney’s pocket, yet the film has little to nothing to show for all that outlay.
“No Entry 2” remains a promising project stuck in limbo
At present, “No Entry Mein Entry” remains a highly anticipated project and its theatrical release remains uncertain. Audiences who loved the original film received no concrete guarantees about when or if the sequel would arrive in theaters.