Nikkhil Advani’s ‘Salaam-e-Ishq’ Sequel In the Making (EXCLUSIVE)

Nikkhil Advani's 2007 cult romantic drama “Salaam-e-Ishq” is getting a sequel treatment. Variety India has exclusively learned that Advani is expanding his popular romantic anthology into a franchise.

“Salaam-e-Ishq 2” will revolve around three couples whose lives intertwine through destiny, fate and love. The narrative will explore the challenges they face — from commitment issues and societal pressures to personal dilemmas — offering a fresh take on love and relationships in contemporary India.

The original film featured an ensemble cast of top stars such as Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Akshaye Khanna and Sohail Khan, among others. Advani intends to assemble a similarly prominent multi-generational cast for the sequel, though it will tell an entirely new story rooted in the realities of modern relationships.

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Musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy will also return for music. They created a memorable music album for the original, with songs like “Dil Kya Kare," “Mera Dil," “Tenu Leke," and “Saiyaan Re” continuing to enjoy popularity even now after two decades.

Nikkhil Advani is currently writing the script, with plans to take it into production early next year. The film will mark the director's return to the romance genre more than a decade after “Katti Batti” (2015). In recent years, he has mostly worked on high-stakes action and historical projects such as “Batla House," "Vedaa," “Mumbai Diaries," and “Freedom at Midnight." His next project is also a historical freedom fighter drama, “The Revolutionaries," set to premiere on Prime Video late this year.

“Salaam-e-Ishq” failed at the box office upon its theatrical release in 2007 but has since gained a dedicated cult following for its heartfelt themes and chart-topping music. In a recent conversation with Variety India, Advani revealed his desire to revisit the franchise despite the original film being, in his words, “almost a death blow” to his career when audiences failed to show love to the film. “It's a good time for a (Salaam-e-Ishq) franchise. It's primarily because I know the mistakes I made,” Advani shared during the interview last month.