In a heartfelt podcast discussion, Pooja Bhatt unveiled the true inspiration behind ‘Sadak 2’. Rather than the pressure of continuing a successful franchise, it was Sanjay Dutt’s nostalgia for the authentic camaraderie on set that led to the sequel’s creation.

Filmmaker and actor Pooja Bhatt has opened up about the emotional conversation with Sanjay Dutt that set ‘Sadak 2’ in motion, revealing that the sequel was born from his deep desire to recreate the spirit and camaraderie of their 1991 hit ‘Sadak’, not from franchise pressure.

How a casual chat sparked ‘Sadak 2’

Speaking to actor Avtar Gill on her podcast ‘The Pooja Bhatt Show,’ as recounted in recent entertainment coverage, Pooja remembered how the idea for ‘Sadak 2’ first surfaced during a meeting in Delhi. “I remember when I met Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) in Delhi, he initiated the conversation with me about making Sadak 2,” she said. Her first reaction was to pull back. “So I told him that is not my brand and spoke to Mukesh Bhatt about it,” she recalled.According to Pooja, producer Mukesh Bhatt refused to be the one to front the discussion with director Mahesh Bhatt. “So, he said no I can’t talk you will have to speak to him,” she shared. That pushed her to approach her father directly. When she took Sanjay Dutt’s wish to him, Mahesh Bhatt’s immediate response was a pointed question: “Why does he want to make it?”

Missing the warmth of the old set

The answer, Pooja revealed, had little to do with commercial considerations. Sanjay Dutt’s reason for wanting ‘Sadak 2’ was rooted in emotion. “What he told me was that the environment that was there on the sets I miss,” she said. For him, the magic lay in the bonds created off-camera.Gill backed her up, adding that Dutt had echoed the same thoughts to him. “He said the same thing to me,” Avtar noted. Pooja went on to explain what made those days unforgettable. “There were shots but the talks between the shots were what we would share that would seep into the work,” she said, suggesting that the honesty and affection in those conversations shaped what ended up on screen.Originally released in 1991, ‘Sadak’ was a romantic action thriller directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt, and was among the highest-grossing films of that year. ‘Sadak 2’, conceived as a sequel set twenty-nine years later, brought Sanjay Dutt back to his iconic role, co-starred Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur, and featured Pooja in a special appearance. The film also marked Mahesh Bhatt’s return to direction after 20 years, completing a creative circle that began with one star’s longing to relive a cherished on-set family.