Ayan Mukerji is said to have directed War 2, with Hrithik Roshan as the lead

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji is on board to direct the sequel to Hrithik starring Roshan War, part of Yash Raj Films’ ambitious Spy Universe, according to industry insiders.

Although there is no official announcement, the 39-year-old manager of Brahmāstra also hinted as much in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

“The Universe recently gave me a very special opportunity, a very special movie to step into and direct! What is the movie… More on that when the time is right.

“An opportunity that challenges me and excites me terribly… an opportunity where I will learn, be inspired and where I will grow!” So I decided to go for it,” Mukerji said. Conceptualized by YRF boss Aditya Chopra, the ‘YRF Spy Universe’ features three franchises featuring A-list stars – Salman Khan’s Tiger movies, Shah Rukh Khan Pathanand the Roshan War — under one umbrella.

The studio’s recent blockbuster Pathan kicked off with an appearance by Salman as Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger. It also contained many references to Roshan’s war character Kabir Dhaliwal.

“Aditya Chopra strategically chooses the ship’s captain for every YRF Spy Universe movie. Ayan has delivered some big hits that appeal to all audience segments and have the pulse of Indian audiences. He has shown he knows how to put together a movie on a large scale, which is essential for someone to achieve War 2,” said an industry insider.

“Plus, he’s a young filmmaker who can bring a different kind of newness to the world of espionage. Ayan will have his unique vision of how to create an epic action spectacle with War 2. Aditya Chopra him trusted to move the franchise forward,” they added.

Besides War 2, Mukerji is also working on the two-part sequel to his 2022 hit Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

His early films include Wake Up Sid and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

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