Kartik-Anurag’s musical “Aashiqui sequel release stands deferred to 2026
Kartik-Anurag’s musical “Aashiqui sequel release stands deferred
to 2026
The Aditya Chopra produced and Mohit Suri directorial “Saiyaara” has definitely impacted the release of some films scheduled for release and have been deferred to 2026.
It’s learned that the shift in release is in a bid to avoid the thematic comparisons with “Saiyaara”.
Notedly, Anurag Basu and Kartik Aaryan’s musical drama film
“Aashiqui” sequel releases in 2026 and the reason cited is similarities
with Saiyaara’s music and love themes
Reshoots planned to make the story distinct and fresh
‘Aashiqui’ sequel or not, anticipation is high around Anurag Basu and Kartik Aaryan coming together for a romantic film. Basu, fresh off the success of ‘Metro… In Dino’, will present Kartik in a never-seen-before avatar in a musical drama, alongside South sensation Sreeleela.
The yet-to-be-titled film was initially slated for a Diwali release; however, it will now hit theatres only in 2026. As fans speculated the reason behind the delay, many in the industry believed that the success of Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara prompted the makers to push the release.
However an industry source shared that certain themes and elements in Kartik Aaryan’s film similar to ‘Saiyaara’, with both stories revolving around rising music stars and their star-crossed love stories. With audiences continuing to lap up the music and performances from ‘Saiyaara’, the team behind the new film reportedly wanted to avoid any direct comparisons. As a result, certain portions were reportedly rewritten, and the team was planning to reshoot them.
However, speaking with the media Anurag Basu denied these claims. He revealed that he had been aware of Mohit Suri’s script for a long time, and the story was no surprise to him. As per Anurag Basu Given that both films feature performers as central characters, they knew comparisons would be drawn. But the two films are completely different from each other.
The filmmaker, though, did confirm the delay in the film’s release, but attributed it to other reasons. “Kartik was busy with Karan Johar’s film (‘Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri’), and he was also occupied with Metro’s release. But they will soon move on to their next schedule and aim to wrap the film soon.
While not much has been revealed about the Kartik Aaryan–Anurag Basu film, it is said to be a spiritual sequel to the ‘Aashiqui’ franchise.
Amidst the ongoing legal battle with Vishesh Films, T-Series may not have secured rights to the Aashiqui title yet. However, audiences will hear the franchise’s iconic title track in the new film, albeit in a revamped version. The chemistry between Kartik and Sreeleela is also being touted as a major highlight. The team is reportedly pumped up about delivering a romance that will be remembered for years to come. As of now, they are looking at an early 2026 release.
Interestingly, Saiyaara was also initially developed by Mohit Suri as a part of the ‘Aashiqui’ lineage; however, that could not be materialised. Given this shared connection, it’s only natural that some thematic similarities will exist.
While Anurag Basu has dismissed suggestions that his film’s delay is a ‘Saiyaara’ casualty, industry sources maintain that Son of Sardaar 2 was indeed impacted. The Ajay Devgn-starrer was originally set to release on July 25, but the team announced on Saturday that it has been pushed by a week, to August 1.
While no official reason was cited, sources confirm that, given Saiyaara’s box-office rampage, the makers did not want to disturb its momentum or get steamrolled by it.
The move is intended to give Son of Sardaar 2 a clearer window for release and a better chance at performing in cinemas.
News Edit KV Raman
