Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 29, 2017)

"Tanu Weds Manu was my first hit,” says filmmaker Aanand L Rai, as he tells mid-day that the franchise’s third installment is on its way. The film is close to Rai and so is the lead actor, Kangana Ranaut. “Kangana and I enjoyed working on TWM. We shared a great rapport. After I wrapped up Raanjhanaa [2013] and she finished Queen [2014] , we came together for Tanu Weds Manu [2015] ,” he says.

He points out that when they got together for the second instalment, four years after the first film hit screens, they had changed as individuals. “I was looking for my Kangana and she wasn’t there. Her loyalty was with the actor inside her; I wasn’t taking the film as seriously as she was.”

Rumour had it that the third instalment of TWM couldn’t take off because of a fallout between Ranaut and Rai. The filmmaker rubbishes the reports. “What fallout? Once I am done with Khan saab’s film [he’s helming Shah Rukh Khan’s film], we will start working on the script for the third part.”

Explaining what may have gone wrong at the time of the 2015 film, Ranaut says, “I had to work to make Datto and Tanu [her characters in the film] drastically different. It required a lot of work and that probably distanced Aanand sir from me. He’s someone who needs a lot of pampering. Once the pressure of Manikarnika is off me, I’ll meet and spend some time with him. The third part of Tanu Weds Manu will have to be crackling. So far, there’s no discussion, but the film might happen next year.”