Exclusive | ‘Taal 2 script is almost complete’: Confirms Subhash Ghai, lauds Ahaan Panday-Aneet Padda's Saiyaara

In a chat with HT City, filmmaker Subhash Ghai opens up about his plans for Taal 2, a sequel to Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna's 1999 film

Can Taal 2 be made today? Filmmaker Subhash Ghai asked this question on social media recently, taking the internet by storm with the possibility of a sequel to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor’s 1999 cult classic film Taal. When we reached out to him, the 81 year old confirmed that the script of Taal 2 is “almost ready”. In an exclusive interview with HT City, Subhash shares, “The post I shared has a question, and the audience will answer it. I have been facing this question for 15 years, ‘When are you going to make Taal again?’ Uss Taal ki jo energy hai, kitni powerful hai ki aaj ke Gen-Z bhi mujhe bol rahe hain Taal banaiye. But the easier the subject of Taal seems, the more difficult it is in reality. Uska poora script hum almost complete kar chuke hain aur abhi hum soch rahe hain yeh sahi samay hai, maybe we should make it. In order to make it, purity is very important."

Subhash Ghai on a sequel to Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai's Taal

The filmmaker explains, "If you remember, Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai (Bachchan) were new in the industry when Taal was made. Isiliye woh purity screen par aayi. Anil Kapoor was a star and he was shown as a star in the film as well. After writing a good script the main responsibility is casting. Jo meri filmein nahi chali hain, uski wajah sirf galat casting thi.”

Explaining the importance of casting, and how it worked in the favour of Mohit Suri and Aditya Chopra’s 2025 blockbuster Saiyaara, the filmmaker shares, “Saiyaara jo hai, mujhe achhi lagi thi bohot. The best thing about it was that the faces were new, so I believed in them, in their innocence and their energy.” When asked if he would be open to casting the Saiyaara actors in Taal 2, Subhash says, “Ahaan Panday aur Aneet Padda ab star ban chuke hain. Par Taal 2 mein characters naye lagne chahiye. It is the need of the character.”

Talking about Akshaye, the filmmaker shares that the actor is like family to him even today and they hang out often.