Making sequels has become Bollywood’s way of ensuring some revenue by banking on the popularity and success of previous films.
The audience remains divided when it comes to sequels—while some love them, others see them as a lazy approach to filmmaking.
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However, one thing everyone seems to question is: why are heroines replaced in sequels when the lead actors, and often the storyline, stay the same?
This trend is evident in upcoming films like War 2 and Housefull 5, where the main protagonist remains unchanged, but the female lead has been swapped.
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War, which starred Vaani Kapoor in the first part, will feature Kiara Advani in the sequel. Housefull, whose fourth instalment included Kriti Sanon and Pooja Hegde, will now star Jacqueline Fernandez and Sonam Bajwa in the fifth.
Even in the recently released Raid 2, Ileana D’Cruz was replaced by Vaani Kapoor.
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This pattern has existed for a while now, but why?
Bollywood’s tendency to retain its male stars while frequently replacing female leads stems from a complex interplay of narrative design, franchise marketing, star dynamics, and practical constraints.
Sequels that are pitched as thematic franchises often cast new female leads to reflect a different chapter, rather than a direct continuation of the story.
In some cases, actresses opt out due to scheduling conflicts or fear that a sequel might dilute their original performance, like Vidya Balan, who declined to be part of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and was replaced by Tabu.
In other instances, female leads are replaced because they are no longer “trending.” Actresses who can pull audiences to theatres at a given time are often favoured in big-budget franchises because of their current market appeal.
The lack of explanation for these casting changes can be frustrating, but do filmmakers owe one?
They may simply cast whoever they believe best fits the role, just as they would with any recasting.
But when a film is built around a male lead and his “calibre,” why is it so easy to discard the female lead?
These decisions force fans to question the underlying gender biases in the industry, including the glaring differences in how male and female stars are valued and paid.
