'Bunty Aur Babli 2': Conning their way back in the game

Rani Mukerji

One often wondered what happened to con artists Bunty and Babli after they left their unlawful ways at the end of the 2005 eponymous hit. Sixteen years later, the makers of the crime comedy are rolling out the sequel, Bunty Aur Babli 2. While Rani Mukerji reprises her role of Vimmy aka Babli, she is joined by her Hum Tum co-star Saif Ali Khan. Varun V Sharma, who served as the assistant director on Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), has taken the directorial baton from Shaad Ali to tell the story of the now-retired con artists who are stuck in a rut.

A still from Bunty Aur Babli 2

If the first look of the film is any indication, it is evident that a monotonous life doesn't suit the protagonists. Sharma has set the comedy - also featuring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari - in Fursatganj, the small town acting as a contrast to his leads' big dreams. Mukerji reveals her character has since become a fashion designer. "Vimmy is bored being a housewife in a small town. She knows she is the OG Babli, a smart woman who pulled off incredible cons. Though she is happy in her marriage, she craves being the centre of attention. She has decided to pursue fashion; her fashion choices are loud, colourful and happy."

When Khan came on board the project, he had to adopt a podgy frame to become Rakesh, an unhappy ticket collector with a sedentary lifestyle. "I had to put on several kilos, and then lose it quickly because of my packed shooting schedule. Now, when I look back, I'm glad I went through the process because Rakesh aka Bunty looks believable," he says. For Khan, it was important to get familiar with his character's backstory to understand his motivations. "He misses strategising for cons that became the talk of the nation. He was a legend, and now, he is a nobody. That makes him disappointed about how his life has shaped up."

Also read: 'Bunty Aur Babli 2': It's Saif, Rani vs Siddhant, Sharvari in this fun ride