Dinesh Vijan is expanding his 2012 romantic comedy Cocktail into a franchise with an entirely new cast. We exclusively revealed just last month that Shahid Kapoor has been signed on to headline this sequel, taking over from Saif Ali Khan, who played the lead in the first film alongside Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. Now, we hear the makers have finalized the heroines as well.

Peepingmoon.com has exclusively learned that Rashmika Mandanna will star opposite Shahid in Cocktail 2. The Pushpa 2 actress has been locked in to play one of the two leading ladies in this love triangle, while negotiations are in the final stage for the second heroine (hint: she is a frequent collaborator with Maddock Films). Shahid and Rashmika have been wanting to work together for a long time and are excited to finally collaborate on musical rom-com. They were initially supposed to star together in Anees Bazmee's double-role comedy last year, but the project didn’t materialize due to budgetary issues.

Dinesh Vijan is assembling a dynamic ensemble cast for this urban romantic comedy, promising a fresh take on the themes of love and friendship. Cocktail 2 will explore the intricate dynamics of relationships among free-spirited individuals, much like its predecessor. The goal is to recreate the charm and relatability of the 2012 movie while appealing to today’s younger audiences. Homi Adajania, who directed the first part, returns to helm the sequel, scheduled to begin production around April-May 2025. 

Cocktail 2 adds to Rashmika Mandanna’s growing repertoire of high-profile projects. This film will also mark her third collaboration with Maddock Films, following the upcoming historical action drama Chhaava with Vicky Kaushal and the vampire comedy Thama alongside Ayushmann Khurrana. In addition, she has an impressive lineup of upcoming releases, including Salman Khan’s highly anticipated Sikandar and the pan-India film Kubera with Dhanush and Nagarjuna. Her next theatrical release, The Girlfriend, directed by Rahul Ravindran, recently garnered significant attention with its teaser.

As for Shahid Kapoor, he is expected to shoot for Cocktail 2 after finishing Vishal Bhardwaj's gangster thriller, Arjun Ustara. This Sajid Nadiadwala production, also starring Triptii Dimri, is modeled on Hussain Ustara, a fearless don who had a fierce rivalry with the underworld’s kingpin, Dawood Ibrahim. Up next, he will be seen playing a cop in Rosshan Andrrews's Deva, scheduled to release in cinemas on January 31, 2025.