EXCLUSIVE: Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna set to start Cocktail 2 in August, target late 2026 release
Cocktail 2 gears up to roll from August this year. The Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna starrer romantic-comedy targets a late 2026 release. Deets inside.

Cocktail (2012) is among the most loved romantic comedies of the Hindi film industry. Pinkvilla had exclusively reported that Producer Dinesh Vijan has teamed up with Luv Ranjan to bring a sequel to the popular rom-com and spin it into a franchise. We also reported that the movie will undergo a casting shift and mark the return of Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon after the success of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljhaa Jiya. And now, we are back with another major update about the movie.
According to the sources close to the development, Cocktail 2 will go on the floors in August 2025. The movie will be shot in India and exotic locations of Europe, with a plan to wrap it around January 2026. Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon have been joined by Rashmika Mandanna as the parallel lead, completing the trio. Apart from the three leading actors, the movie will have a big ensemble cast of supporting actors, for which the casting is underway.
Like its previous part, Cocktail 2 will also be directed by Homi Adajania. While Dinesh Vijan had collaborated with Imtiaz Ali for Cocktail (2012), he has now found a partner in Luv Ranjan for the sequel. The story of Cocktail 2 is written by Luv Ranjan, who is known to have a strong knack for this genre. His writing is loaded with the right amount of humor, emotions and light-hearted moments. The movie is targeting a theatrical release in the second half of 2026.
Before moving on to Cocktail 2, Shahid Kapoor will wrap up the shoot of Vishal Bharadwaj's movie tentatively titled Arjun Ustara/Evil. On the other hand, Kriti Sanon will join the sets after winding up Aanand L Rai’s much-awaited movie Tere Ishk Mein opposite Dhanush. Another lead of the trio, Rashmika Mandanna, is expected to finish her portions of Thama, co-starring Ayushmann Khurrana, before joining the sets of Cocktail 2.
For the unversed, Cocktail had Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty in the lead roles. The movie was a big success and a game changer in the genre. Apart from some of the finest performances, Cocktail found a place in every cinephile’s heart because of its rich music album, which is expected to continue in the upcoming sequel.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.