Sunny Deol is going back to one of the characters that helped define his action-hero image, but Rajkumar Santoshi is making one thing very clear: this is not Ghatak 2. The filmmaker has confirmed that Deol will return as the same character from his 1996 cult action film for a new project titled Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega.
Santoshi revealed the plan in an interview with PTI, saying the film will be packed with action, powerful dialogues and emotion. The project comes shortly after the director and actor reunited for Batwara 1947, their first film together in roughly three decades. Their history also includes the hugely remembered Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, making the new collaboration particularly significant for fans of 1990s Hindi action cinema.
What makes the announcement unusual is Santoshi’s decision not to call the film a sequel. Instead, the filmmaker wants to take the character played by Deol into a completely different story, essentially bringing back the persona without continuing the original film’s plot.
Sunny Deol Will Play the Same Ghatak Character
Santoshi has already given fans the most important piece of information about Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega: Sunny Deol will play the same character he portrayed in the 1996 film. The original Ghatak centred on Kashi Nath, a righteous man who stands up against a ruthless gangster terrorising a community. Deol’s performance, along with the film’s hard-hitting action and memorable dialogues, helped the movie become a lasting part of his action-film legacy.
But Santoshi does not want the new film to be boxed in as a conventional continuation. “Sunny and I are working on a few stories, and soon we will make a formal announcement about it. The film has full-fledged action. It is called ‘Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega’. It is not a sequel. But it is the same character, like the character is from Banaras,” the director told PTI.
That distinction could give the filmmakers considerably more freedom. Instead of having to explain what happened to the character after the events of Ghatak, the new film can place him in another situation while retaining the qualities audiences remember. For Deol, it also means returning to a character associated with the kind of intense, straight-ahead action that has remained an important part of his screen identity.
Santoshi is clearly aware of what that combination could mean for Deol’s audience. “The fans of Sunny will be happy as this new film has action, powerful dialogues and emotion,” he said, suggesting that the movie is being designed around the ingredients that made their earlier collaborations resonate with action-film audiences.
Santoshi and Deol Are Rebuilding Their 1990s Partnership
The project comes at an interesting point in the filmmaker and actor’s relationship. Santoshi and Deol recently worked together on Batwara 1947, which marked their return to a film collaboration after around 30 years. Their earlier run included Ghayal in 1990, Damini in 1993 and Ghatak in 1996, three films that remain closely associated with both their careers.
That history makes Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega more than another action project for Deol. Santoshi is deliberately returning to a character and performance style that audiences already associate with the actor, while Deol continues to take on roles that play to his commanding screen presence. The director has also indicated that this will not be their only collaboration going forward.
According to Santoshi, two or three additional stories involving Deol are already in the pipeline. One of those projects would reportedly feature Deol as a Sikh man living in America and would also fall into the action-drama space. The filmmaker has not yet announced formal details for those projects, but his comments suggest that the partnership could continue beyond Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega.
There is also a clear reason why the announcement is likely to attract attention. Hindi cinema has increasingly leaned on familiar characters and established franchises, but Santoshi is taking a slightly different route by reviving the character without directly making another chapter of the original film. If the approach works, Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega could offer the nostalgia of Ghatak without simply repeating its story.
Why Santoshi Said No to Jaat 2
Santoshi’s comments also clear up another question surrounding Sunny Deol’s action-film lineup. Despite Deol starring in Jaat, the 2025 action drama directed by Gopichand Malineni, Santoshi confirmed that he will not be directing a proposed Jaat 2.
The reason is straightforward. “I said no for it because I don’t believe in making sequels,” Santoshi said when asked about the project.
That explanation makes his approach to Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega even more interesting. Rather than turning Ghatak into a direct franchise continuation, Santoshi is retaining the central character while creating a new story around him. In other words, the director appears more interested in revisiting a character than simply extending an existing plot.
Meanwhile, Jaat was directed by Gopichand Malineni and featured Randeep Hooda and Vineet Kumar Singh alongside Deol. Santoshi’s decision leaves the future of that franchise separate from his own plans with the actor.
Ada Apni Apni Is Another Santoshi Experiment
Santoshi is also preparing another project that taps into one of his most beloved films without being a conventional sequel. The filmmaker has revealed Ada Apni Apni, a new comedy-adventure set in the creative world associated with his 1994 cult favourite Andaz Apna Apna.
Once again, Santoshi is stressing the difference between revisiting an established property and making a direct sequel. He has described Ada Apni Apni as a different story that will retain the comedy and adventure elements of Andaz Apna Apna, whose original story he believes already reached its conclusion. “It is called ‘Ada Apni Apni’, it is a different story, but the genre, comedy, and adventure are the same. We didn’t want to do a sequel as the story concludes with ‘Andaz Apna Apna’,” he said.
The casting remains one of the biggest unanswered questions. Andaz Apna Apna famously starred Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, but Santoshi has not confirmed whether either actor will appear in the new project. He has instead said that an announcement regarding the casting will be made soon.
For now, however, Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega is the project likely to generate the biggest immediate excitement among Sunny Deol fans. The prospect of Deol once again playing Kashi Nath, this time in a new action drama from the director who originally created the character, carries obvious nostalgia. But Santoshi’s insistence that it is not a sequel also suggests that audiences should expect a fresh story rather than a simple return to the events of 1996.
With several stories being developed together, the Santoshi-Deol partnership appears to be entering another phase. And if Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega delivers the action, emotion and dialogue-heavy drama the director has promised, the reunion could give one of Hindi cinema’s most recognizable actor-director combinations another memorable chapter.
Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega: 6 Key Questions
Is Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega a sequel to Ghatak?
No. Rajkumar Santoshi has specifically said that the new film is not a sequel to the 1996 Ghatak. However, Sunny Deol will play the same character from the original film in a new story.
Will Sunny Deol play Kashi Nath again?
Yes. Deol will return as the same character he played in Ghatak. Santoshi has indicated that the character is from Banaras, while the new film will place him in a different story.
What is Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega about?
Detailed plot information has not been revealed yet. Santoshi has confirmed that the film will be a full-fledged action drama featuring powerful dialogues and emotional elements.
Who is directing Ghatak Ghus Ke Maarega?
Rajkumar Santoshi is directing the project and is working with Sunny Deol on several stories. A formal announcement with additional production and casting details is expected later.
Is Rajkumar Santoshi directing Jaat 2?
No. Santoshi has confirmed that he declined Jaat 2, explaining that he does not believe in making sequels. The original Jaat was directed by Gopichand Malineni.
What is Ada Apni Apni?
Ada Apni Apni is Santoshi’s upcoming comedy-adventure connected to the world and genre of his 1994 classic Andaz Apna Apna. He has clarified that it will tell a different story rather than directly continuing the original film.
