NEW DELHI : NEW DELHI: Ekta Kapoor’s production Ek Villain Returns, starring John Abraham, Arjun Kapoor, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria, will arrive in cinemas on 8 July. The thriller, a sequel to 2014 film Ek Villain, will be directed by Mohit Suri and co-produced by T-Series.

Bollywood filmmakers will bet big on sequels in the coming months. Starting with the second instalment of Yash Raj Films’ comedy Bunty Aur Babli starring Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and debutant Sharvari on 19 November, there is John Abraham’s action drama Satyameva Jayate 2 on 26 November. Horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiya 2 starring Kartik Aaryan is slated for March while the second part to action drama KGF, originally in Kannada, will be dubbed in multiple languages including Hindi, and hit screens in April.

To be sure, the franchise model has benefited several films in the past, with the trend stemming naturally from a built-in audience and fan base and increasing the likelihood of the film turning out to be good, explaining why Bollywood has often leaned on sequels. It’s always easier to work around and attract people with known subjects, be it a book, play or something that has seen success at the box office, media experts say. Films in the Dhoom, ABCD and Munnabhai series are examples of successful projects that have carried on the goodwill and curiosity of their respective franchises.

However, several critics also point out that not too many filmmakers in India have understood the concept of a franchise because several of these films are not related to each other at all. Films in the Raaz, Kya Kool Hain Hum, Grand Masti and Tere Bin Laden: series have faltered miserably in the past after great starts.