Boney Kapoor on No Entry 2: Regret not retaining Salman Khan, Anil, and Fardeen
Filmmaker Boney Kapoor, who announced the sequel to the 2005 hit ‘No Entry’ back in 2019, recently confirmed that the original trio, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan, will not be returning for the second instalment. Instead, ‘No Entry 2’ will feature younger stars Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor in lead roles.
In a recent conversation with Instant Bollywood, Boney opened up about the casting shift and expressed regret over not being able to retain the original ensemble.
Speaking about the casting, he said, “Yeh humara loss hai that we could not retain the same star cast. We waited for almost 8 to 10 years, but somehow things didn’t materialise. We will miss them. Now, we’re trying to give it a fresh start with a younger lot of actors. But yes, we will miss Salman, Anil and Fardeen. They were the original three boys in ‘No Entry’, and they were most loved.”
Reflecting further on the long wait and eventual change, Boney added, “Waqt beet gaya wait karte karte… gaadi aage nikal gayi. Ab ye pachhtaawa hoga ki same setup nahi hai.” (Time passed as we waited, the train has moved on. Now, there will always be this regret that the original setup isn’t there.)
Praising the original trio, he said, “Salman is a fantastic guy, Anil is a fantastic guy, brother and actor. Fardeen is one of the best people I’ve known in the industry. I will miss them. But somehow, we’ve moved on, and let’s hope the decision proves right.”
The original ‘No Entry’, directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Boney Kapoor, was a comedy blockbuster that revolved around extra-marital affairs, mistaken identities, and chaotic hilarity. With hit songs like ‘Koi Ladki Hai’ and ‘Ishq Mein’, and the comic timing of its lead cast, the film struck gold at the box office.
The sequel will also be helmed by Bazmee, with Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor stepping into new lead roles. The female cast is yet to be officially announced, though reports suggest Tamannaah Bhatia may be onboard.
While early buzz hinted at Diljit Dosanjh being one of the leads, speculation rose about him exiting the project due to creative differences. However, Boney has clarified that this isn’t the case. “Yes, there are date issues, but certainly no creative differences. That is absolutely false. We are trying our best to work the dates out,” he told Hindustan Times. It still remains unclear if Diljit will ultimately be part of the film.
