2 Years, 6 Franchise Films: Smartest Superstar?

In the ever changing landscape of Bollywood, franchise filmmaking is becoming the norm.

While sequels and multi-part stories give audiences the comfort of familiar characters and worlds, they also raise questions about the industry’s willingness to take risks.

Ajay Devgn, a franchise film veteran, is doubling down on this trend and solidifying his position as the face of Indian film series.

The announcement of ‘Shaitaan 2’ (to roll in early 2026) adds another franchise to Devgn’s already impressive franchise portfolio which includes hits like ‘Golmaal’, ‘Singham’, ‘Drishyam’ and ‘Dhamaal’.

The sequel directed by Vikas Bahl and written by Aamil Keeyan Khan will delve deeper into the theme of black magic and will be set in Konkan, Maharashtra.

Notably the film will have an original story and not a remake of the Gujarati film ‘Vash Level 2’.

While the commercial logic behind this is clear (Devgn’s franchises have always worked well at the box office) the creative implications are unclear.

With six franchise films lined up including ‘Son of Sardaar 2’, ‘De De Pyaar De 2’, ‘Dhamaal 4’, ‘Drishyam 3’ and ‘Golmaal 5’ there is a risk of over dependence on formulas.

But the decision to have an original story for ‘Shaitaan 2’ suggests a conscious effort to keep the franchise fresh.

Only time will tell if this will continue to work with the audience or if it’s a creative plateau for one of Bollywood’s biggest stars.