When it was announced that Varun Dhawan is reuniting with Janhvi Kapoor for a Shashank Khaitan film titled Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, fans were excited. But many netizens assumed that it was the third and much-awaited installment of Varun and Alia Bhatt’s beloved Dulhania franchise, helmed by the director. As a result, Varia fans were heartbroken about rumours of Alia being replaced, because audiences loved her chemistry with Varun in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014) and Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017). It was later clarified that Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is not Dulhania 3, but fans still had their doubts, which they expressed via debates online. Well, Shashank has now shared the truth.

In a chat with Free Press Journal, Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari director Shashank Khaitan shared, “Alia was never offered this film, and this film was never supposed to be Dulhania (franchise). It was always written as Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. I know Alia, and at the time when I was writing the film, I was very aware that she was not free for the next 2-3 years because of her work schedules. So I, Varun, and Karan had been in touch with Alia on multiple other occasions, discussing different ideas, sometimes ideas to make a Dulhania, but this was never it. This was always Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and I’m excited about it because it’s also a bit of a different; it’s pretty much in a similar universe, but it’s a bit of a different film, and I’m excited about how people are going to pursue it or see it.”
But will there ever be a Dulhania 3 with Varun and Alia? Shashank shared that he would love to take the franchise forward and the entire team is excited about the possibility. But Varun, Alia, Karan Johar and Shashank are still waiting for the right story that they all believe in. The filmmaker explained, “I think we keep discussing it, we are always looking at an opportunity, but I think it will only materialize when we are all excited about that opportunity in equal measure.”
Also starring Rohit Saraf and Sanya Malhotra, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is currently winning hearts in cinema halls, especially with the surprise cameo in the climax. Have you seen it yet?