Bollywood comedy classic 3 Idiots is officially moving toward a sequel, with director Rajkumar Hirani confirming that the screenplay is still in development and that the story is set about 20 years after the events of the first film.
The update comes 17 years after the original movie was released. In comments to ANI, Hirani said the team is still writing the script and is not ready to speak in detail until it reaches the right stage. He said, 「Writing is still underway. We will talk about it officially when it reaches the right point.」
No fourth idiot, and no return to campus life
Hirani also pushed back on speculation that the sequel could expand the core cast from three leads to four. He said, 「Honestly, there is no fourth idiot. It is still 3 Idiots, and the story takes place 20 years later.」
He said the sequel will not revisit student life, classrooms or exams. The new film is planned around the characters in middle age, with the story turning to marriage, children and the pressures of a midlife crisis. As Hirani put it, 「This is not a story about students. It is about what their lives become 20 years later.」
Original creative team and cast are expected back
The screenplay is again being handled by Abhijat Joshi. On casting, Hirani said the lineup would remain unchanged. According to the report, Aamir Khan has already read a very early draft and agreed with the overall direction of the story.
Beyond the three main male leads, Indian media reports said Kareena Kapoor, who played the female lead, and Boman Irani, who played the college principal, are also expected to return if the sequel is formally finalized. Hirani said the concept originally began as a separate script the team was developing before they realized it could be extended into a second 3 Idiots film.
The original film crossed 4 billion rupees worldwide
Released in 2009, 3 Idiots grossed more than 4 billion rupees worldwide, or about $90 million, according to the report. The film held a long-running place near the top of India’s box office history, which is one reason the sequel announcement is drawing heavy attention.
Talk of a follow-up has circulated for years. R Madhavan previously told Bollywood Hungama that the sequel idea 「sounds great, but also far-fetched.」 He also said that the three actors had grown older and joked, 「Doing 3 Idiots again? That would be idiotic.」 Even so, he said he would be very happy to work with Hirani again.
No confirmed filming date yet
Hirani has taken a cautious tone on timing. He said the team is under no pressure to rush the sequel and would rather spend more time refining the story than put out a film too quickly and damage the franchise.
Some Indian industry chatter has pointed to a possible production start in the second half of 2026, but Hirani has not confirmed that timeline, and no official filming announcement has been released. He said the team will share details once the script and preparation work are fully locked in.