Kunal Kemmu is set to return to the world of ‘Madgaon Express’. The actor-filmmaker, whose directorial ‘VIBE’ is currently in theatres, has confirmed that he is developing ‘Madgaon Express 2’, the sequel to his 2024 directorial debut. In a recent conversation, Kemmu revealed that he has already written a story for the sequel, although he is not ready to commit to a timeline or reveal whether the original cast will return.
Kunal Kemmu confirms ‘Madgaon Express 2’ is in development
After making his directorial debut with ‘Madgaon Express’, Kunal Kemmu is now working on a potential sequel to the comedy. The actor-filmmaker has confirmed that ‘Madgaon Express 2’ is being developed, but he is in no hurry to announce when the film will go on floors.Kemmu told Variety India that he had previously made it clear that he would not return to the franchise without a story that genuinely warranted a sequel.“I’ve always said that I will not make ‘Madgaon Express 2’ unless I genuinely feel that there is a story to tell. Luckily, they (collaborators and producers) also didn’t bother me after that. Everyone said, ‘Okay, you figure it out,’” he said.While he has stopped short of announcing a timeline, Kemmu confirmed that he has already written a story for the sequel.“I have a story to tell, which I have written. At this point, I’ll keep it at that,” he revealed.
Kunal Kemmu says directing ‘Madgaon Express’ was liberating
‘Madgaon Express’ also changed Kemmu’s perspective on filmmaking. Having spent much of his career as an actor, he said he was surprised by how much he enjoyed being behind the camera.“Firstly, I had no idea I could direct. I enjoyed myself on set, as did everyone else. There was great synergy. I also realized that directing let me be more myself than acting did,” Kemmu said.He went on to explain how directing changed the way he interacted with his team compared with the relatively protected environment actors often work in.“As actors, we tend to live protected lives. We are in our vans, come out and give our shots, return to our vans, and once it is done, take our cars back home because we are always in the public eye. But as a director, you’re always with your crew. You’re handling situations in front of them. Sometimes, you’re angry. At other times, you are sad. But you have to take charge of the situation.”For Kemmu, that experience made directing particularly personal.“Direction let me be me. It liberated me in many ways,” he added.
Will Divyenndu , Avinash Tiwary and Pratik Gandhi return?
The first ‘Madgaon Express’ featured Divyenndu, Avinash Tiwary and Pratik Gandhi as three friends whose reunion turns into a chaotic adventure. Naturally, one of the biggest questions surrounding the sequel is whether the original trio will reunite. When asked if the same cast would return for ‘Madgaon Express 2’, Kemmu chose not to reveal details.“Well, I will answer those questions on another day,” he said.For now, the filmmaker has confirmed the existence of a story but has kept other details, including the timeline and casting, under wraps.
Kunal Kemmu gives an update on ‘Go Goa Gone 2 ‘
Kemmu also addressed another long-discussed sequel, ‘Go Goa Gone 2’. The zombie comedy sequel was previously scheduled for March 2021 but did not progress beyond pre-production. According to Kemmu, he currently has no concrete update on the project. He also pointed out that he does not own the intellectual property.“If I owned the IP, we would have seen ‘Go Goa Gone 2’ years ago. I have a story in my head, but not that I’m making it,” he explained.Kemmu has been associated with the franchise as an actor and co-writer, but said neither role currently gives him clarity about the film’s future.“I’m an actor and a co-writer on that film. As a co-writer, I haven’t written anything. As an actor, nobody has asked me for my dates or told me that it is happening. Honestly and sadly, I don’t have an update,” he said.
Kunal Kemmu’s work slate
Kunal’s latest release is ‘VIBE’, an action thriller comedy which he has written, produced and directed starring alongside Preity Zinta, Sparsh Shrivastava and debutant Vanshika Dhir. The film marks Khemu’s second outing as a writer-director following 2024’s ‘Madgaon Express’. He will be seen in Rohit Shetty’s multi-starrer, ‘Golmaal 5’ as Laxman Sharma.
