Released on November 19, 2021, Bunty Aur Babli 2 is a crime comedy sequel to the 2005 cult classic Bunty Aur Babli . Directed by Varun V. Sharma and produced by Yash Raj Films
, the movie explores the clash between two generations of con artists. Plot Summary
The film is set several years after the events of the original. Rakesh (Bunty) and Vimmi (Babli) have retired to a quiet life in Fursatganj with their young son, Pappu. Their peace is disrupted when Inspector Jatayu Singh informs them that a new pair of con artists—Kunal and Sonia—are pulling off high-profile heists using their legendary "Bunty Aur Babli" sigil.
The original duo comes out of retirement to hunt down the "imposters," leading to a series of competitive cons across locations like Delhi and Abu Dhabi. Ultimately, the veterans discover that the younger pair are engineering graduates who turned to crime out of frustration with a corrupt system, donating 90% of their loot to charity. Key Cast and Characters
Double Trouble: Is Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021) Worth the Con? The 2005 original Bunty Aur Babli
was more than just a movie; it was a cultural explosion of small-town dreams and neon-colored collared shirts. Sixteen years later, the con is back—but with a significant twist in the lineup. The Plot: Old School vs. New Gen
The sequel finds the original con-artist couple, Rakesh (Bunty) and Vimmi (Babli), living a quiet, mundane life in Fursatganj. Their peaceful retirement is shattered when a new pair of tech-savvy imposters begins pullings scams across India using their legendary "B&B" sigil.
The police, led by the original inspector’s successor, pull the veteran duo out of retirement to help catch the copycats, leading to a clash between "OG" craftiness and Gen-Z digital manipulation. The Changing of the Guard The biggest talking point of this sequel is the cast. While Rani Mukerji
returns to her iconic role with the same high-energy charm, there is a notable absence: The New Bunty Saif Ali Khan replaces Abhishek Bachchan as the original Bunty
. Reports suggest Abhishek declined the role due to creative differences or scheduling issues with the studio. The Challengers Siddhant Chaturvedi and newcomer Sharvari Wagh bunty aur babli 2 -2021-
join as the younger con-artists, bringing a fresh, modern vibe to the franchise's signature disguises. Fun Facts & Production Trivia
Released on 19 November 2021, Bunty Aur Babli 2 is a crime comedy that serves as a spiritual sequel to the 2005 cult classic Bunty Aur Babli. Produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by debutant Varun V. Sharma, the film attempts to pit two generations of con artists against each other. Plot Overview
The story follows Rakesh Trivedi (Saif Ali Khan) and Vimmi Saluja (Rani Mukerji), the original con-duo now leading a mundane middle-class life in Phursatganj. Their retirement is cut short when Inspector Jatayu Singh (Pankaj Tripathi) hauls them in for a series of new robberies carrying their signature mark.
It is revealed that a younger, tech-savvy couple—Kunal Singh (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Sonia Rawat (Sharvari)—is behind these new cons. To reclaim their reputation and avoid legal trouble, the original Bunty and Babli team up with the police to hunt down their imposters, leading to a cat-and-mouse chase spanning from North India to Abu Dhabi. Cast and Character Dynamics
The film features a blend of established stars and fresh faces:
Saif Ali Khan & Rani Mukerji: Saif Ali Khan stepped in for Abhishek Bachchan, reuniting with Rani Mukerji for the first time since Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007).
Siddhant Chaturvedi & Sharvari: Making her Bollywood debut, Sharvari joins the breakout Gully Boy star Siddhant Chaturvedi as the modern-day "Babli" and "Bunty".
Pankaj Tripathi: Playing the shrewd Inspector Jatayu Singh, Tripathi serves as the bridge between the old and new generations. Production and Technical Details
Direction & Writing: Varun V. Sharma handled both direction and screenplay, based on a story by producer Aditya Chopra. Released on November 19, 2021, Bunty Aur Babli
Music: The iconic trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy returned to compose the soundtrack, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Budget & Box Office: Produced on a budget of approximately ₹45 crore, the film struggled commercially, grossing roughly ₹22.12 crore worldwide and becoming a "box-office bomb". Critical Reception
Critics were generally unimpressed, often comparing it unfavourably to its predecessor. Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb highlighted a lack of the original's charm and chemistry, though many praised the energetic performances of the younger leads. The film began streaming on Amazon Prime Video shortly after its theatrical run.
The gap between the original and Bunty Aur Babli 2 -2021- is a case study in Bollywood’s development hell. The sequel was announced as early as 2006, then scrapped. Writers struggled to modernize the con-game genre without losing the innocence of the first film. The rise of real-life digital scams (like the Jamtara phishing racket) made the premise more relevant, but the script failed to capitalize on that gritty realism. Instead, the film oscillates between slapstick comedy and a "kids are alright" moral lecture.
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Compared to the 2005 classic, Bunty Aur Babli 2 -2021- is a significant downgrade. The original had heart, a rebellious streak, and a tragic undertone (the death of a child was a gut punch). The sequel is fluffy, safe, and commercial to a fault.
However, judged purely as a one-time OTT watch (it is available on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix across different regions), it is harmless fun. If you lower your expectations and treat it as a Sunday afternoon popcorn flick, you will enjoy the Bachchan-Mukerji chemistry and a few laugh-out-loud moments.
Rating: 2.5/5
Watch it for: Rani Mukerji’s comic genius, the nostalgic music, and the first 45 minutes. Skip it if: You are a purist of the original film or expect a smart heist thriller.
The premise of Bunty Aur Babli 2 -2021- is actually quite clever—at least on paper. We are reintroduced to Rakesh (Abhishek Bachchan) and Vimmi (Rani Mukerji), now middle-aged and living a quiet, retired life in a dusty small town. They have a teenage son who is oblivious to his parents' criminal past. Their days of pulling off elaborate railway and jewelry scams are long behind them. Why Did It Take 16 Years
However, trouble arrives when a series of high-profile heists begin occurring across India. The police assume the original "Bunty aur Babli" have returned. The modus operandi is flashier, younger, and digital. To clear their names and protect their family, the original duo must come out of retirement.
Enter the new Bunty and Babli: Kunal (Siddhant Chaturvedi) and Sonia (Sharvari Wagh). These two are the opposite of the original pair. Where Rakesh and Vimmi relied on costumes, physical props, and railway station sleight-of-hand, the new generation uses QR codes, Bluetooth skimmers, and crypto-wallets. The film sets up an interesting generational conflict: Old school analog con vs. New school digital con. The plot then follows four con artists trying to out-con each other in a race across iconic Indian tourist spots.
The biggest crime of Bunty Aur Babli 2 -2021- is its runtime (2 hours 20 minutes). The film runs out of gas by the interval. The cons become repetitive. The "twists" are predictable. By the third act, the initial charm of watching four cons compete devolves into a loud, messy chase sequence where logic takes a complete holiday.
Moreover, the villain (a corporate tycoon played by Pankaj Tripathi) is criminally underused. Having an actor of Tripathi’s caliber standing in a boardroom looking angry is a waste. The film forgets that the best heist movies have memorable antagonists.
The screenplay struggles with tone. It wants to be a family drama (the son’s subplot), a romantic comedy, and a thriller, but often settles for a loose series of sketches. The Hindi dialogues, which were razor-sharp in the original, feel sanitized here.
So, why didn’t it work?
First, the chemistry deficit. The original film lived and breathed on the electric, madcap pairing of Abhishek Bachchan’s goofy earnestness and Rani Mukerji’s explosive energy. Here, Siddhant Chaturvedi (so confident in Gully Boy) is saddled with a whiny, underwritten character who feels more like a petulant nephew than a mastermind. Sharvari Wagh brings genuine spark—she’s the film’s best surprise, funny and sharp—but her Babli is reduced to a sidekick in her own story. The young pair never generate the "us against the world" romance that made the original so endearing.
Second, the comedy is broad and lazy. Where the first film found humour in desperate situations and quirky side characters (the hotel manager, the nosey cop), the sequel relies on tired slapstick and a predictable Pankaj Tripathi being asked to do his "quirky one-liner" routine one too many times. A big-budget song in the streets of Istanbul cannot mask a hollow script.
And finally, the scale. The original Bunty Aur Babli was a small film that punched above its weight. It was about two nobodies fooling a system that had rejected them. The sequel is a lavish, globe-trotting production (shot in Mumbai, Delhi, and fantasy-sequences in Turkey) about… nothing much. The stakes are non-existent. The cons are so over-the-top and CGI-heavy that they lack any tension. You never believe the characters are in real danger, nor do you root for their success with the same fervour.
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