In the vibrant tapestry of Indian cinema, few films have captured the essence of small-town romance as poignantly as

Aanand L Rai

‘s ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ series. The 2011 original, starring

R. Madhavan

and Kangana Ranaut, painted a compelling narrative of two contrasting individuals navigating love amidst societal norms. Its sequel, ‘

Tanu Weds Manu

Returns’ in 2015, not only continued this journey but also set a benchmark by achieving the highest opening weekend collections for a female-led film in India until 2019.

Naturally, the buzz around a potential third installment has been palpable among fans, and the new update on the same is sure to add to the excitement
While talking to News18 Showsha, Aanand L Rai offered a fresh glimmer of hope. “Tanu Weds Manu is a kind of franchise that demands a part three,” he remarked. Emphasizing the depth and appeal of the characters, he added, “Those characters are so beautiful, and they were played so beautifully by Madhavan and Kangana. Those characters became a little bigger than the story itself.”
This evolution of characters over the storyline is a testament to both the filmmaker’s directorial prowess and the actors’ immersive performances. Reflecting on the franchise’s journey, Aanand divulged that the inception of a series was never the original intent. “Tanu Weds Manu was wrapped very well. The story was complete. But the characters were eager to come back. That’s why we were able to create another story,” he explained.

The anticipation around ‘

Tanu Weds Manu 3

’ reached a crescendo last year when Kangana Ranaut confirmed her involvement. Yet, Rai remains cautious, emphasizing the importance of a compelling narrative. “With ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’, we introduced a new character, Datto. These characters are all asking for a third part. The minute we have a great story—the story that Tanu, Manu, and Datto deserve—we’ll go for it,” he shared with conviction.

Diving deeper into his creative process, the filmmaker articulated his quest for exploring unique dynamics in relationships. “What I really search for is a unique man-woman relationship. The dynamics in ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ were different from ‘Raanjhanaa’, just as ‘Raanjhanaa’ was different from ‘Atrangi Re’,” he continued.
One of the defining aspects of Rai’s storytelling is his non-judgmental portrayal of characters. Citing an example from his debut hit, he observed, that in ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, he showed a girl who drinks and smokes, and as a director, he didn’t judge her. This non-judgmental approach helped his audience to not judge the character as well.

As for the future, Rai’s vision remains clear. “The idea is to bring a new story and a new relationship to celluloid, something that hasn’t been captured yet. That search is always on,” he affirmed.