Key facts
- Director Nagraj Manjule has revealed his plans on a Sairat sequel
- Sairat (2016) was a landmark Marathi crossover blockbuster
- Film explored caste-based honour violence; inspired Hindi remake Dhadak
Nagraj Manjule, the director whose 2016 Marathi film Sairat shattered box-office records and redefined what regional Indian cinema could achieve, has finally addressed the question that has lingered for nearly a decade: will there be a Sairat 2?
Manjule revealed his definitive plans to The Indian Express, settling what has been one of the most persistent rumours in Marathi and broader Indian film circles. Sairat, which told the story of a romance across caste lines culminating in a shocking act of honour violence, was not only a massive commercial hit but a cultural watershed — it forced mainstream audiences and commentators to reckon with the brutal reality of caste-based social policing in rural Maharashtra.
The film launched the careers of its lead actors and inspired a Hindi remake, Dhadak, starring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. Yet Manjule's original has retained a status that the remake could not replicate — its raw, earthy aesthetic and commitment to its characters' social reality gave it an authenticity that resonated far beyond Maharashtra.
Whether Manjule's answer is a clean no or a more nuanced position, the director's willingness to address it publicly suggests he is aware that Sairat belongs as much to its audience as to him. His definitive statement will allow both fans and the industry to finally move forward with clarity on one of Indian cinema's most discussed 'what ifs'.