- Director Advait Chandan and Dharma Productions have parted ways on Dostana 2 after seven months of development
- The separation was due to creative differences but was entirely amicable with no bad blood
- Dostana 2 was first announced in 2019 and has undergone multiple changes in cast and direction
Director Advait Chandan and Dharma Productions have decided to part ways on Dostana 2, sources told NDTV.
Chandan had been attached to direct the latest version of the project and spent close to seven months developing the film before both sides mutually decided to move in different directions.
According to sources, the decision was driven by creative differences, with the filmmaker and the studio envisioning different approaches for the franchise. However, sources emphasised that the separation was entirely amicable.
"Yes, Advait was initially set to direct the film, but he and Dharma Productions eventually decided to part ways. The decision was driven by creative differences, as their respective visions for the franchise did not align. The separation was entirely amicable, and there is no bad blood between him and Karan. All is well between them," a source told NDTV.
The latest development adds another chapter to the long journey of Dostana 2, the sequel to Dharma Productions' 2008 hit Dostana. The film was first announced in 2019 with Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya in the lead. Collin D'Cunha was set to make his feature directorial debut with the project, but that version was eventually shelved.
Dharma Productions later began work on a fresh version of the film. Industry sources had indicated that the reworked project was expected to star Vikrant Massey and Lakshya, with former Miss India World Sini Shetty being considered for the female lead.
Chandan subsequently came on board to helm the project and had been working closely on its development over the past several months. The collaboration had generated considerable interest within the industry, especially given the filmmaker's track record with films such as Secret Superstar, Laal Singh Chaddha and most recently Loveyapa.
Sources say discussions around the film's creative direction eventually led to both parties arriving at the decision to pursue separate paths. There is, however, no acrimony surrounding the move.
Dharma Productions is expected to continue developing the project and is likely to begin the search for a new director. Despite its multiple reinventions over the years, Dostana 2 remains one of the studio's most anticipated projects, largely because of the popularity of the original film and the curiosity surrounding its eventual revival.
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