Apne 2 Shelved! Director Anil Sharma Says It's 'Impossible' To Make Sequel Without Dharmendra

Director

Anil Sharma, who directed Apne, had all plans to make a sequel to his 2007 film. It featured Dharmendra, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol in the lead roles. After confirming that Apne 2 would be made, Anil has now shelved the project. In an interview, the filmmaker stated that it's impossible to make Apne 2 without Dharmendra. The legendary Bollywood actor passed away on November 24, 2025. He was 89.

Anil Sharma shelves Apne 2

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Anil mentioned, "Apne to apno ke bina nahi ho sakti. Without Dharamji, it’s impossible to make the sequel. Everything was on track and the script was ready, but he left us. Some dreams remain unfulfilled. Without him, it’s not possible."For the unversed, the filmmaker directed the veteran actor in different films like Hukumat, Elaan-e-Jung, and others. Continuing the chat, Anil recalled his last meeting with the He-Man. "I met him in early October and he said: ‘Anil, koi acchi kahani laa, acchi film karni hai…camera meri mehbooba hai, mujhe yaad karti hai. Mujhe jana hai uske samne'," he added.ALSO READ - Na Dharmendra Jaisa Koi Actor Aaya Hai, Na Aayega - Says Gadar 2 Director Anil Sharma In Emotional Tribute - EXCLUSIVE

Anil Sharma on first meeting with Dharmendra

Apart from that, Anil opened up about his first meeting with the veteran actor. The filmmaker recalled he was 18 when he first met Dharmendra with the call sheet. "He put his hand on my head and said, ‘mehnat se kaam karna’. When I narrated Hukumat, he approved the story in 10 minutes. He had such an amazing understanding about films, and the movie did tahalka in everyone’s hearts," he stated.

Anil Sharma's work front

Work-wise, Anil last directed Vanvaas, featuring Utkarsh Sharma, Nana Patekar, Rajpal Yadav, Simrat Kaur, and others. Produced by Zee Studios and Anil Sharma Productions, the film was theatrically released on December 20, 2024. Keep following this space for more updates!