New Delhi: At a time when a much-anticipated candy floss and bubblegum film with star kids had released on Netflix, it’s ‘Dhak Dhak’, a film on the epic bike expedition of four women from Delhi to Leh, which is making the loudest noise on the OTT platform. And now, producer Pranjal Khandhdiya announced that the work has already started on the sequel of this film. The dynamic biker women gang, featuring Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Sanjana Sanghi, might be embarking on an unforgettable trip to Barcelona in the upcoming installment.
Pranjal Khandhdiya hinted that the sequel could maintain the original four female characters or possibly introduce male characters into the mix. “The same four characters might remain or we might introduce new characters or even bring in some male characters. But then, it’s a matter of how we take the story forward. However, the audience will definitely get to be part of this journey. ‘Dhak Dhak’ will not stop at Khardung La. The journey continues,” he said.
Putting together a film with an ensemble cast like in ‘Dhak Dhak’ is quite a challenge, as the producer pointed out. Managing multiple talented actors is no easy task. “This is one of the biggest reasons why Bollywood doesn’t see many ensembles. In our case, it wasn’t just a regular ensemble, but it was a complex casting of four women of different age brackets, social strata and upbringing. We were clear about not compromising on the age as the character of Mahi (Ratna Pathak Shah) is 65-years-old. We wanted to cast a genuine senior actor. We knew no actor would be ready to take the risk. But there was Ratna ji who showed confidence and we just got lucky to have her. Other three casting was so bang on that when we approached them, as they were our first choice and they readily said yes,” said Khandhdiya.
He also shared that the greater challenge lies in releasing a film rather than the filmmaking process itself. “The market forces are never favourable unless the film is actually seen and loved by the audience. The same happened with ‘Dhak Dhak’, which struggled to find a full-fledged commercial release. But it found its love on the digital platform. ‘Dhak Dhak’ is the most viewed film on Netflix in India,” said the young producer.
Khandhdiya isn’t fond of the term 'women-centric' films, and he's hesitant to label 'Dhak Dhak' as one. For him, a film's essence lies in a compelling story that entertains. He strongly believes in the potency of good writing to drive a film's success.
Dhak Dhak is a film on the bike trip of four women from Delhi to Leh, featuring Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanjana Sanghi.