B-Town’s hit actor-director duos are back this year

Mumbai, March 9 Hit director-actor combos are all set to be back in business this year. From Rohit Shetty-Ranveer Singh to Salman Khan-Prabhudheva and from Taapsee Pannu-Anurag Kashyap to Ranbir Kapoor-Ayan Mukerji, there are a host of teams lined up in some of the biggest projects, which have spelt magic at the box office in the past.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh feels this is always a boon. “It is always better to repeat ‘jodi’s. It doesn’t matter if it is actors working again with each other or directors reuniting with actors. The expectation of the audiences increases and there is a curiosity. But, yes, at the end of the day it all depends on content. That has to be good,” he said.

Talking about working with Abbas-Mustan again after eight years, in the upcoming film Penthouse, actor Bobby Deol said that he shares a great rapport with the duo. “Abbas-Mustan are like family to me. It’s been a 22-year association since Soldier. I have always loved their vision of making movies. I am happy to be working with them again after many years,” Bobby said.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra says that such casting is done because the audience welcomes it. “I think many a time there is a certain comfort level that gets established when you work on a film together. It can be between actors, director-DoP (director of photography) or actor-director, too. I feel if the audience loves it then why not? These factors are largely driven by the audience,” he said.

Taapsee has naturally been excited about team up with Anurag again for their new film Dobaaraa. The actress and the filmmaker had earlier collaborated on Manmarziyaan in 2018. She took to social media to post a fun picture of the two of them, a couple of weeks back and captioned it: “My #DobaaraaSeries Coz some collaborations deserve to be repeated… Ready to create more memories because we were running out of Manmarziyaan stories to tell…@anuragkashyap10 let’s do this #Dobaaraa.”

Most of them would tell you it’s about being in a comfort zone. Milap Zaveri, for instance, shares that sort of a bond with John Abraham.

“I love working with John. He resurrected my career with “Satyameva Jayate” in 2018 and showed faith in me when no one would. He is my real-life hero. I have had an amazing time making “Satyameva Jayate 2″ with him and being reunited with him. Amidst a pandemic I was able to make such a huge and ambitious action film only because of his support. He trusts me blindly and allows me to make my larger-than-life commercial masala potboilers. He jokingly says I’m his ‘cheat day’!” Zaveri said,

Here are some of the hit director-actor jodis with films coming soon:

Ranveer Singh and Rohit Shetty

Filmmaker Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh will reunite for the film Cirkus. This will be the duo’s third collaboration. They have worked together in films such as Simbaa as well as Shetty’s upcoming film Sooryavanshi.

Salman Khan and Prabhudheva

After working together on the film Dabang 3 in 2019 and Wanted in 2009, director Prabhudheva will be directing Salman Khan in Radhe. The film is Salman’s Eid release this year.

Ranbir Kapoor and Ayan Mukerji

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji made his directorial debut in 2009 with the Ranbir-starrer Wake Up Sid!, and the duo reaped it rich with Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in 2013. They come together for their most ambitious project yet — the action fantasy Brahmastra, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy.

John Abraham and Milap Zaveri

Milap Zaveri collaborated with John as a writer on films such as Desi Boyz in 2011 and Shootout at Wadala in 2016, before directing the actor in Satyameva Jayate (2018). They have reunited for the film Satyameva Jayate 2 this year.

Bobby Deol and Abbas Mustan

Bobby Deol reunites with filmmaker duo Abbas-Mustan for their upcoming film Penthouse. They last worked together in Players, eight years back. Bobby has also starred in Abbas-Mustan films such as Soldier, Ajnabee, Humraaz and Naqaab.

Taapsee Pannu and Anurag Kashyap

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and actress Taapsee Pannu would be working together for the third time. They collaborated on Manmarziyaan in 2018, while Kashyap was also a producer on Saand Ki Aankh in 2019. Kashyap directs Taapsee in Dobaaraa.

Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Actor Ajay Devgn has a significant role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Gangubai Kathiawadi. He is reuniting with the filmmaker after a span of 22 years. They last worked together in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.