Akshay Kumar was never approached for Aankhen 2: Anees Bazmee

Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s 2002 crime thriller Aankhen will return 14 years after its release with a new director, few deductions and additions to the cast. Stepping into the director’s shoes for Aankhen 2 is Anees Bazmee, best known for the Welcome franchise.

While Amitabh Bachchan and Arjun Rampal will return to the franchise, fans will not get to see Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Ileana D'Cruz and south actress Regina Cassandra will be among the new star cast.

Fans seem disappointed that Kumar and Rawal will not be part of Aankhen 2. There were murmurs that both the actors had declined the sequel and that John Abraham would replace Kumar.

However, Bazmee chose to set the record straight. “Akshay Kumar was never approached for Aankhen 2. Once you see the film, you will see that the casting has been done accordingly,” Bazmee told daily newspaper Indian Express.

Kumar had played Vishwas Prajapati, one of the three blind men recruited by Vijay Singh Rajput (Bachchan) to pull off a bank heist. Directed by Shah, the original film was based on his Gujarati play Andhalo Pathao (Blindman’s Bluff). 

“This will be different from Aankhen and it will be bigger and better. The basic premise will be the same,“ Bazmee told reporters at the launch of Aankhen 2.

Aankhen 2 will release next year.