‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ took audiences on an unforgettable road trip across Spain fifteen years ago, and buzz around a sequel is picking up once again. Director Zoya Akhtar shared a fresh update on part 2, revealing that development on the follow-up is underway, while cautioning that it will only take shape if the right story emerges for the characters audiences have come to cherish. The original film followed Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol as three friends on a trip that changed the way they saw life.

Zoya Akhtar gives fresh update on ‘ZNMD 2’

For the first time, Zoya has given fans real cause for optimism about ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara 2’. Talking to The Hollywood Reporter India, she confirmed that the sequel is already in the works, with Reema Kagti on board too. “We are on it,” she said. Even so, she made it clear that the project’s future remains uncertain, as she’s determined to get the story right before bringing back these characters after a 15-year gap. Zoya shared, “We don’t know what will happen and what won’t… if we will get to a place where it feels correct, in catching up with these characters today. But it will be nice.”

Zoya Akhtar and the 2025 ad that sparked buzz

Anticipation around a potential reunion has already been building. In 2025, Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay featured together in an advertisement that evoked their ‘ZNMD’ characters, leading many fans to speculate whether the footage was tied to the sequel. Zoya has also faced criticism over the years for centering some of her films around the struggles of wealthy, privileged characters, with both ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ and ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ following financially well-off families navigating personal challenges.

Zoya Akhtar on criticism over her films

Zoya has since made it clear that this kind of criticism doesn’t get to her anymore. She believes filmmakers deserve the freedom to explore stories about a range of people, even if a certain narrative doesn’t resonate with every audience. As far as she’s concerned, the emotional conflicts her characters face are still meaningful and worth telling, no matter their background.

Zoya Akhtar’s original film remains a cult favourite

‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, which released on July 15, 2011, has since attained cult status among audiences. The film traced the journey of three childhood friends travelling through Spain, each of them forced to confront personal fears, relationships and questions about what they truly wanted from life. The camaraderie between Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay remains one of the biggest reasons fans have kept demanding a sequel over the years.