Sanjay Dutt’s lovable Munna and Arshad Warsi’s ever-loyal Circuit have occupied a special place in the hearts of Hindi cinema fans for over two decades. Ever since Lage Raho Munna Bhai released in 2006, audiences have been asking the same question: when is Munna Bhai 3 happening? Despite endless rumours and speculations around the third chapter, fan theories and occasional updates over the years, the much-awaited third installment has remained frustratingly out of reach. Now, filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and actor Arshad Warsi have offered their clearest explanation yet.
During an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times while promoting their upcoming streaming project Pritam and Pedro, the duo revealed that multiple versions of the story already exist. The real challenge, they say, is finding the one crucial piece that can turn a promising script into a Munna Bhai film worthy of standing alongside the franchise’s first two classics.
Rajkumar Hirani says the first half isn’t the problem
The Munna Bhai franchise began with Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., which released on December 19, 2003. Nearly three years later, the franchise returned with Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which hit theatres on September 1, 2006.
For Rajkumar Hirani, the problem has never been finding a new adventure for Munna and Circuit. In fact, he says ideas come easily. The real challenge is finding a story that remains compelling all the way to the end. Explaining why Munna Bhai 3 continues to remain on hold despite years of anticipation, he says, “If you only want to see Munna Bhai up to the interval, I can make five films right now. Because I don’t have the story beyond that point.”
The filmmaker admits that the pressure of living up to the franchise’s legacy often stops him from rushing into a third installment. While a Munna Bhai sequel would undoubtedly generate immense excitement and strong box-office returns, he insists he has never been interested in making one simply for commercial reasons.
“Genuinely, I want to make one. Anyone else in my place might have said, ‘Just write any script, it will get a massive opening and make solid money.’ But I don’t want to do that. We made two great films; if I only cared about the money, I would have made four or five versions by now. It needs to at least match the standard of what we already have. That’s where I get stuck,” he adds.
Arshad Warsi says several strong scripts already exist
For years, speculation around Munna Bhai 3 has largely centered on one assumption: that the film simply doesn’t have a script. Arshad Warsi, however, says that’s far from the truth. According to the actor, the real challenge is finding the final piece that makes the story complete.
“There are actually three pretty much unfinished scripts sitting there. And all three are genuinely better than most of the scripts I have ever heard—I am not kidding. Each one of them has elements that immediately grab your attention. The thoughts and the scenes are absolutely beautiful,” Arshad says.
By Arshad Warsi’s account, each version already contains moments, emotions and ideas strong enough to stand out on their own. “It just lacks that one tiny connection—that one little piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Once that fits into place, we will be good to go. Otherwise, somewhere the ending is missing, or it’s not connecting smoothly. Eventually, he will find it,” he adds.
He remains optimistic that Rajkumar Hirani will eventually crack the puzzle, just as he has done with his previous films.
How Gandhigiri became a cultural phenomenon
The conversation also turned towards the unexpected legacy of the Munna Bhai films and how some of their most memorable moments were never planned as cultural catchphrases. The director said filmmakers rarely know what audiences will hold onto after a film releases. “You don’t sit and write thinking, ‘People will remember Jaadu ki Jhappi or Gandhigiri.’ If you start writing like that, it becomes very manipulative,” he explains.
The director recalled a moment from Lage Raho Munna Bhai where the team believed a completely different line would become popular. “We had a track where Lucky Singh (Boman Irani) is a corrupt builder and has to adapt to Gandhigiri. We wrote a line where Munna (Sanjay Dutt) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi) tell him, ‘Whatever you usually do in life, do the exact opposite.’ We used that line a couple of times in the film and thought it might catch on as a popular catchphrase. To this day, I don’t think a single person remembers that dialogue! On the flip side, we thought the word Gandhigiri might not catch on, but it became a massive phenomenon. You just have to write with your gut and leave it at that,” he adds.
Arshad Warsi admits he forgot how Circuit behaved
One of the funniest moments from the conversation came when Arshad Warsi revealed just how little attachment he has to his past performances. “I literally forget my work immediately after finishing a shoot. Raju knows that for Munna Bhai 2 (Lage Raho), I had no idea how I acted! They had to show me the tape of the first film and say, ‘Son, look, you acted like this,’ and then I literally had to imitate myself,” he said. The candid admission left everyone laughing and offered a glimpse into Arshad’s refreshingly unpretentious approach to acting.
As for Munna Bhai 3, the film may still be stuck in development, but it is far from forgotten. Rajkumar Hirani revealed that discussions continue with Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi and writer Abhijat Joshi as they work through various ideas and search for the one missing piece that can finally complete the puzzle.
And despite the years of waiting, Hirani remains hopeful that the beloved duo will return to the big screen someday. “At some stage, it will definitely happen,” he concludes.