Script Locked, Ending Missing: Why Rajkumar Hirani is Tearing Hair Over the Choice Between ‘4 Idiots’ and Munna Bhai 3!
Everyone is talking about whether Bollywood has lost its “original touch” in the era of mindless actioners, but the real story is that the king of storytelling, Rajkumar Hirani, has just dropped a double-layered dopamine bomb that is shaking the very foundation of Mumbai on this sunny Wednesday, 11 February 2026.
While the industry was busy tracking the box office of Dhurandhar, Raju Hirani quietly walked into the limelight and confirmed what every Indian movie lover has been dreaming about since 2009. He isn’t just making one sequel; he is currently neck-deep in the scripts for both 3 Idiots 2 and Munna Bhai 3. But here is the contrarian catch: he has no idea which one to finish first. Is it a masterclass in hype, or is the director facing a massive creative “pattern interruption”?
The “4 Idiots” Spark: An Idea That Came Out of Nowhere
Let’s look at the first bomb. For years, we thought the story of Rancho, Farhan, and Raju was a closed chapter.
We all remember the “All is Well” mantra, and honestly, most of us were okay with how it ended. But according to Variety India, Hirani recently confessed that a fresh idea for a 3 Idiots sequel literally “sparked up out of nowhere” just a few weeks ago.
He wasn’t even looking for it. It just happened. Now, the tentative title doing the rounds in the trade circles is 4 Idiots, suggesting that a new face might join the iconic trio of Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi.
This is a classic “Dopamine Gap” strategy. By teasing a sequel to a film that defined a generation’s view on the education system, Hirani has created an immediate vacuum in our hearts that only a teaser trailer can fill. The “Personal Stakes” for the audience are through the roof because 3 Idiots wasn’t just a movie; it was a core memory for every engineering student in India.
Munna Bhai 3: A Script in Search of a Soul
While the 3 Idiots sequel is a new flame, Munna Bhai 3 is that long-lost love that Hirani just can’t quit. He confirmed in his latest interview that a large chunk of the Munna Bhai 3 script is actually “ready to a larger level”.
However, there is a massive roadblock. He hasn’t found the “right end” for it yet. In the world of “Viral Box Office,” a bad ending can kill a franchise faster than a bad actor. Hirani knows that the “Social Proof” for Munna and Circuit is so high that anything less than perfection would be a “Moral Crisis” for the fans.
According to Bollywood Hungama, Arshad Warsi (our beloved Circuit) has been shouting from the rooftops that Hirani is “seriously working” on it, but the director is a perfectionist. He even scrapped a version years ago because it felt too similar to My Name is Khan. This tells you that he is looking for a “Neural Coupling” with the audience that goes beyond just jokes. He wants to touch our souls again, just like he did with Gandhigiri.
The Battle of the 2026 Slate: Which One Wins?
Now, this is where it gets interesting for us box office junkies. Hirani currently has three or four scripts sitting on his desk, including the Dadasaheb Phalke biopic with Aamir Khan. But the Phalke biopic has reportedly been pushed to March 2026 or later because the script needs more “polishing”. This leaves a massive “Climax” window open.
As per Pinkvilla, the industry tracker that usually gets the inside scoop, the 3 Idiots sequel might actually leapfrog Munna Bhai 3 because the new idea is fresh and exciting for the director. When a filmmaker says an idea “sparked up,” it usually means he has found the “Oxygen” (conflict) that the story needs.
Why This is the Ultimate Pattern Interruption
Most directors today are making sequels just for the “money grab,” but Hirani’s track record suggests otherwise. He uses “Secondary Data Research” (our real-life struggles) to build his films. Whether it’s the pressure of exams in 3 Idiots or the loneliness of the elderly in Munna Bhai, his films work because they use the “WHW” framework:
- What: A relatable social problem.
- How: Through a quirky, lovable character who breaks the rules.
- Why: To give the audience a “New Reality” to believe in.
The city of Mumbai is buzzing because if Hirani announces 4 Idiots first, the box office predictions are already touching the ₹1000 Crore mark globally on Day 1. The “Sense of Urgency” among distributors to lock these dates is higher than ever.
The Author’s Dilemma
Is it good news? Yes. But is it risky? Absolutely. Reviving these cult classics is like trying to build a new Iron Man suit—one wrong wire and the whole thing explodes. Hirani is currently like a “Mechanic” (as Tony Stark calls himself) trying to fix two legendary machines at once. He needs to take a call “pretty quickly” on which way to walk.
Hirani’s “double-writing” is a genius move to gauge fan interest, but Munna Bhai 3 is the legacy hit we truly need.
My Take
Original Source: First reported and confirmed by Variety India and Bollywood Hungama.
Question For You: If you had to pick only one to watch in theaters this Christmas, would you choose Munna Bhai’s “Jadoo Ki Jhappi” or Rancho’s “All is Well”? Let me know in the comments below!
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