Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi has confirmed that Maharaja 2 is in development, putting an end to speculation around a possible sequel to the 2024 Tamil thriller. Director Nithilan Saminathan has already narrated the story to the actor, who was full of praise for the filmmaker and his writing. The update comes days after the original Maharaja was confirmed to be getting a Hollywood remake.
Speaking at the audio launch of his upcoming film Baththa, Vijay Sethupathi revealed that Nithilan Saminathan has already shared the story of Maharaja 2 with him. The actor praised the filmmaker’s writing and said he was impressed by what he heard.
Vijay Sethupathi confirms Maharaja 2
“Nithilan is an excellent director. He has a great writing sense. He recently told me the story of Maharaja 2. It was so beautiful. Working with him was superb,” Vijay said, as reported by The Times of India and Cinema Express.
The comments indicate that the sequel has progressed beyond an initial idea, with Saminathan having a story ready to take forward. However, details about the plot, supporting cast, production schedule and release date have not yet been announced.
Vijay and Saminathan previously collaborated on Maharaja, which was released in 2024 and went on to become a major success. The neo-noir thriller followed a barber who approaches the police after his dustbin, named Lakshmi, goes missing. What initially appears to be an unusual complaint eventually leads to a much darker story.
Maharaja’s journey to Hollywood
The sequel announcement comes at an interesting time for the franchise. The original Maharaja is set to be remade in Hollywood after its international success, including its strong performance in China. Producer Sudhan Sundaram recently confirmed that the remake rights had been acquired by a Hollywood agency and that an A-list actor is being considered for the adaptation.
Vijay Sethupathi also recalled his reaction when he learnt that the film was heading to Hollywood. The actor said he had always been interested in working in Hollywood and jokingly offered to act in the remake for free if he could be given a role.
He said that when producer Sudhan Sundaram told him the rights had been sold, his immediate response was that he would work without a fee if it meant getting an opportunity to be part of the Hollywood version.
Maharaja’s unexpected success
Looking back at the original film, Vijay admitted that even the team did not anticipate how far Maharaja would travel. He said he had faith in the film but did not expect it to reach the level of success it eventually achieved.
According to Sacnilk figures cited by Hindustan Times, Maharaja collected Rs 72.43 crore net in India and Rs 199.20 crore worldwide. The film also gained a wider audience through its streaming release on Netflix.
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