The film industry lost a gem five years ago, with the untimely demise of Irrfan Khan. The late actor, who has worked in some of the most memorable projects in Indian cinema, including Billu, The Lunchbox, Piku, The Namesake, and Life In A… Metro, left the world at only 53 years old, on April 29, 2020. Ahead of the theatrical release of Metro In Dino, Irrfan’s close friend and filmmaker, Anurag Basu, shared that this sequel was originally the late actor’s idea, and he had even signed himself up for it.
Anurag Basu shares how Irrfan Khan proposed the idea of a Metro sequel
Metro In Dino is the spiritual sequel to Anurag Basu’s iconic 2007 film, Life In A… Metro, and it’s all set for a release on July 4, 2025. In a conversation with News 18 Showsha, the filmmaker shared that Irrfan Khan was the one who suggested a sequel to the Metro franchise, and had even signed up for it before his death. Anurag said:
“Post Jagga Jasoos, Irrfan and I were talking about a sequel to Life In A Metro. He, in fact, had given me the idea to start working on it. He told me, ‘Metro 2 banaate hai.’ He told me about it much later, not immediately after the first film… I didn’t have any plans of making a trilogy. I was scared if Life In A Metro would even work. It was something very different.”
Anurag Basu reveals if there will be a Metro 3
Despite his initial doubts, Life In A… Metro turned out to be a successful project, earning the status of a modern classic with its unique storyline of love stories in India’s metro cities. In 2017, buzz was rife that Irrfan Khan had signed up for the film’s sequel. Anurag himself had no plans of making a Metro trilogy, and he still isn’t sure if there will be a third part to the series. In his words:
“I’m not going to make such films anymore because it’s like writing four films in one, and that takes too much time. But while it’s challenging, it’s also fun… But as of now, Metro In Dino feels like the final one. That’s not to say that there’s no possibility of making another hyperlinked film, but even if I do, I don’t think it’s going to happen very soon.”
Anurag Basu reveals how Irrfan Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma’s characters were ahead of their time
Irrfan Khan and Konkona Sen Sharma’s characters, ‘Monty’ and ‘Shruti’ in Life In A… Metro, were way ahead of their time. While online dating is a common thing today, the dating scenario was much different back in 2007. Through their characters, Anurag showed a virtual love story that bloomed over time as they started chatting online. Speaking of the film’s plot, Anurag shared:
“Their characters had met online – on a matrimonial site. A lot has changed in these 18 years, and we should come to terms with it. People are less expressive in person now. They speak their hearts out, virtually. They can convey all their emotions in a true form online. Aaj kal one-to-one mein nahi hota hai.”
About Metro In Dino
Metro In Dino is Anurag Basu’s ode to Irrfan Khan and the late singer KK, both of whom were integral parts of the original film. The film, a spiritual sequel to Metro 1 (2007) after 18 years, follows a similar theme of multiple contemporary couples in four metro cities in India: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The film, set for a July 4 release, stars an ensemble cast, including Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy Kapur.
What are your views on Anurag Basu’s revelations?
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