Bollywood director Anurag Basu has responded to rumours that his upcoming film starring Kartik Aaryan and newcomer Sreeleela is being rewritten after the massive success of Saiyaara.
The romantic drama Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, became a surprise box office hit, collecting âš404 crore in just 11 days. Its emotional storyline and musical theme sparked talk that Basuâs untitled project shared a similar plotâespecially since both films feature a male rockstar and a female lead facing personal struggles.
Basu, however, dismissed these claims in a recent interview. âThe only similarity is that Kartik plays a rockstar,â he clarified. âThe story is entirely different. Thereâs no illness or health issue in Sreeleelaâs character.â He stressed that his script was written long ago and has not been changed due to Saiyaaraâs popularity.
About 40% of the film has already been shot, with the next filming schedule set for August and September. Kartik will sport a new clean-shaven look after completing another project, Tu Meri Main Tera.
Originally expected to release during Diwali 2025, the film is now postponed to early 2026. The title also remains uncertain. While many believed it to be Aashiqui 3, Basu explained that legal issues around the franchise name are still being sorted.
Despite the delay, fans are excited to see Sreeleela make her Bollywood debut, especially under Basuâs directionâknown for heartfelt films like Barfi and Jagga Jasoos.
Online, the buzz hasnât slowed. On Reddit, some fans shared wild theories, including dramatic story twists and emotional endings. But Basuâs clear response has put most speculation to restâat least for now.
