Bollywood is known and often rightly accused of copying films from Hollywood, South and the latest victim being Korean dramas as well. However the latest fad that Bollywood has started is making sequels to successful films that made money at the box office. One such movie that joins the bandwagon is Rock On 2, the sequel to 2008 film Rock On 2. Rock On 2 brought back the original cast comprising of Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Prachi Desai, Shahana Goswami and Luke Kenny (in a cameo), while also bringing in two new additions in the form of Shraddha Kapoor and Shashank Arora (of Titli fame). Unlike the original which was directed by Abhishek Kapoor, the sequel was directed by Shujaat Saudagar and is a continuation from the first film. Set eight years after the events of the first film, Rock On 2 delves into how the band gets disbanded again following a tragic incident, and how a new prodigy and a chance to wash off their past sins brings them back. Whether Rock On needed a sequel or not, is a matter of contemplation, which we will get into below. But if you have been a fan of the original film, I am sure you will be disappointed by what the sequel has to offer.
However, Rock On 2 is not the only culprit when it comes to disappointing sequels. While we rarely get an exemplary sequel like Lage Raho Munna Bhai or Dedh Ishqiya or even bearable ones like Krrish, some sequels just kill the interest and love we have for the first film. Unlike most sequels made in Hollywood, here the second installments in Bollywood are only made with the sole intention to earn more money based on the goodwill of the audience for the film. Most of the directors don't even bother to put much efforts in a good narrative to carry forward the story of the original. Yes, they do make money but cross your heart and say, that you loved them as much as the original. I am sure you won't.
In this special feature, let's look at five sequels released in the last five years that totally let you down, when compared to the first film.
Rock On 2
The first Rock On ended on a satisfying note, with the lead characters finding peace in themselves. That doesn't mean there should not be a sequel. However, the sequel doesn't do any justice to the magic of MAGIK, instead relying on melodramatic subplots with regards to Shraddha Kapoor's character. Even the songs by Shankar Ehsaan Loy were passable at best. Overall, a terrible disappointment.
Singham Returns
Singham, despite being just another Tamil remake, was one of Rohit Shetty's most enjoyable efforts after Golmaal. In fact, I liked it even better than the original film, starring Suriya. However for the sequel, Rohit Shetty chose to go for an 'original' story, but instead rehashed nearly the same elements. However this time the results were far less entertaining, with bland villains and a screechy Kareena Kapoor not helping things much. Even though Singham Returns is one of Ajay Devgn's biggest hits, it will not be spoken of with the same love as the original.
Dabanng 2
Dabanng was the crowning glory in Salman Khan's career, which made sure that every movie after that will earn nothing less a 100 crores, even if it is as bad as a Jai Ho or a prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Dabanng, that came later and which also marked the directorial debut of Arbaaz Khan, was nothing but a rehash of everything good about the original film, albeit with a lesser effect. Surely the film earned mega bucks at the box office, but apart from a couple fo sequences, Dabanng 2 was mostly a forgettable affair.
Yamla Pagla Deewana 2
The original Yamla Pagla Deewana was a surprisingly entertaining comedy, that worked well at the box office, and also gave the Deol brothers a fresh lease of life when it comes to their career. The sequel which was soon announced after had a change in directors (from Samir Karnik to Sangeeth Sivan) tried its best to increase the antics and the humour, but it turned out to be as funny as a visit to a dentist. Needless to say, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol are still searching for that elusive hit.
Ab Tak Chhappan 2
Once upon a time when Ram Gopal Varma had that golden touch, any movie he directed or produced easily won accolades from the critics. One such production was this gritty cop drama, starring Nana Patekar. Like Rock On, we can still argue whether cult movie deserves a sequel, but Nana Patekar did think so, and hence he made this drab sequel, that no one went to watch. Seriously, what a waste of potential!
Welcome Back
The original Welcome may not have been a classic comedy, but was a fairly enjoyable flick with many ROTFL moments. However the same cannot be said about the sequel, even though it retains most of the MVP's from the original like Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. The jokes are weak, John Abraham was a poor replacement for the original lead, Akshay Kumar and we still cringe remembering what Naseeruddin Shah was doing in the film. Like Singham Returns, even this was a hit. But Money doesn't always mean quality, does it?
Jism 2
This may have heralded Sunny Leone into Bollywood, and thanks to the curiosity over her presence and some really beautiful songs, Jism 2 was a hit. But compared to the original, the sequel was badly enacted and badly plotted. Above all, despite her oomph factor, Sunny Leone was no Bipasha Basu.
Did we miss out on any more sequels? Enlighten us in the comments section below...
