Raajneeti 2 to takeoff with Katrina... without Ranbir

It is official. The sequel to Prakash Jha’s 2010 blockbuster Raajneeti is happening. And Katrina Kaif’s role as the politician who builds a vast empire of power and administration will be further fleshed out. This time she takes centre stage. Yes, Katrina will play a king-sized female politician. Raajneeti 2 will chronicle her rise to power and then her descent into a megalomaniacal self-serving politics that would finally destroy her. So excited is Katrina by the challenge of playing ‘hero’ for the first time in her career that she has been calling Prakash Jha regularly goading him to get the show on the road before Satsang, which the director is supposed to start with Katrina . And Prakash, it seem has relented. Committed to do a remake of the South Indian film Ko early next year with Akshay Kumar, Prakash has decided to do Raajneeti 2 first. However, there is bad news for those hoping to see the Ranbir-Katrina pair come together again in Raajneeti 2. In spite of being the only main character apart from Katrina who remains alive at the end of Raajneeti, Ranbir has opted out of Raajneeti 2. Apparently he was not kicked by playing side-kick to Katrina in what would predominantly be her show. Also, we are told Ranbir doesn’t like to work with the same director twice. Not everyone is as luck as his best friend Ayan Mukherjee and former best friend Siddharth Anand. Confirming all these developments Prakash Jha says, “It’s very challenging to take the Raajneeti story forward. Most of the main characters are dead. Two-thirds of the characters would be completely new. Katrina would have a central role. And though his character didn’t die at the end of Raajneeti, Ranbir won’t be part of Raajneeti 2. Again I’d be doing a spin on the Mahabharat, though this time the spin would be completely different.” When asked when he starts Raajneeti 2 Prakash chuckled, “If Katrina had her way it would start tomorrow. I am quite enthused by her excitement level. So it will happen sooner rather than later.” Katrina incidentally has not signed any new film except Raajneeti 2.