Nayak: The Real Hero, the critically acclaimed 2001 political thriller starring Anil Kapoor and Rani Mukerji, is going to get a sequel after 23 years. The film's original producer, AM Rathnam, sold the rights to Dhaakad and Thank God's famed producer Deepak Mukut, which covers copyright, intellectual property, and adaptations of the first and second films. Mukut has now disclosed that he is working on the script of the sequel and plans to bring back the original lead actors to reprise their roles. 

Deepak Mukut spill the beans about Nayak 2

The sequel will explore the story of TV presenter Shivaji (Anil Kapoor), who later became a politician, will be continued in the sequel. Mukut told Mid-day, “We are planning the sequel, and taking the story forward with the [existing] characters. I bought the rights a long time ago from producer AM Rathnam. We are writing the script right now with the leads in mind and [incorporating] other actors too. As soon as the writing is complete, we’ll decide the way ahead. We have a couple of directors in mind, but nobody has been finalised."

Mukut further revealed that, while they are still in early discussions, he has started talking to Anil and Rani about the project. He said that the inclusion of new performers in the follow-up will depend on how the characters develop and who would be the most appropriate for them. The news outlet cited a source who said that Nayak 2 will explore themes of bureaucracy, corruption, and—above all—the power of the common people.

More about Nayak

Directed by S. Shankar, Nayak was the remake of the 1999 Tamil film Mudhalvan. In addition to Anil and Rani, the cast also featured Johnny Lever, Rani Mukerji, Amrish Puri, and Paresh Rawal in supporting roles. Upon its 2001 release, the picture achieved critical and economic success, positioning itself as one of the year's most notable productions.