Aamir prioritizes Lala Amarnath film; '3 Idiots' sequel to follow
What's the story
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has reportedly finalized his next project, a sports drama directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The decision to prioritize this film has pushed the much-anticipated 3 Idiots sequel, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, to mid-2027. Sources told Variety India that Khan was considering both projects for his immediate future but recently decided to complete Gowariker's film based on the historic 1952 India-Pakistan Test Series first.
Production plans
Khan has asked team to start pre-production
Khan has reportedly asked the team to start full-fledged pre-production for the film. The shooting is expected to begin by October or November 2026. Although soft preparations were underway, the project has now entered a fast-tracked development stage, with technical recce to begin shortly and formal casting processes already afoot. Farhan Akhtar, who is co-producing the film under his Excel Entertainment banner with Ritesh Sidhwani, will also play a significant role in this venture.
Script status
Script readiness played crucial role in decision
Khan reportedly chose the Gowariker film over 4 Idiots (tentative name) because of its script readiness. The sports drama already has a locked script by Piyush Gupta and Neeraj Singh, which only needs polishing. In contrast, Hirani and Abhijat Joshi are still working on the screenplay and dialogues for the 3 Idiots sequel. Although they have completed three to four drafts, Khan is unhappy with it and has asked for another draft.
Quality assurance
Khan's commitment to quality and perfection
Khan is known for his commitment to quality and perfection in scripts. He prefers to have thoroughly polished drafts of the screenplay and dialogues before fully committing to a project. His previous collaboration with Hirani, the Dadasaheb Phalke biopic, was reportedly shelved because they couldn't come up with an ideal screenplay that matched the subject's strength.
Project delay
Mutual decision between Khan and Hirani
The postponement of the 3 Idiots sequel is said to be a mutual decision between Khan and Hirani. The delay was made to ensure that the film meets the high expectations associated with it. This decision was also made quickly, as Hirani is also working on the Lala Amarnath project, which he is co-producing with Excel Entertainment.