For years, Bollywood sequels were considered a safe bet. If the first movie was a hit, the second (or third) would surely make money, right? Not anymore. In recent times, several big sequels have underperformed, showing that audiences are no longer impressed just by a familiar title.

Tiger 3 – A Spy That Couldn’t Save the Mission

The Tiger franchise, starring Salman Khan, was one of Bollywood’s most bankable action series. But Tiger 3 failed to roar at the box office. Despite its massive budget, high-octane stunts, and festival release, it couldn’t match the magic of the first two films. Viewers felt the action was there, but the story wasn’t engaging enough to keep them hooked.

Singham Again – The Cop Universe Stalls

Rohit Shetty’s cop universe has been a crowd favourite for over a decade. But Singham Again didn’t create the same craze as its predecessors. Even with Ajay Devgn’s iconic role and the addition of more star cameos, the film faced criticism for relying too much on formula and not offering anything fresh.

Housefull 5 – Comedy Without the Laughs

The Housefull series built its reputation on slapstick humour and over-the-top situations. But by the fifth instalment, the jokes felt recycled, and audiences noticed. Housefull 5 did open decently due to the brand name, but word-of-mouth quickly slowed its run, showing that old gags don’t guarantee new laughs.

War 2 – Action That Fell Short

The first War (2019) was a stylish action blockbuster that set the bar high. War 2 brought in Jr NTR alongside Hrithik Roshan, promising even bigger scale. But while the action sequences impressed some, the storyline failed to excite, and the box office collections were lower than expected for such a big franchise.

Son Of Sardaar 2 – Lost the Punch

 The original Son of Sardaar (2012) was loved by many for its loud comedy and festive feel. But the sequel opened slow and dropped quickly. Competing films overtook it in no time, proving that nostalgia alone can’t keep a sequel alive in theatres.

Why This Is Happening
Audiences today want more than just the comfort of a familiar title. They expect fresh stories, better writing, and genuine entertainment. Moreover, songs have a major role in deciding the fate. The songs of the next instalment, hardly offer anything new. If a sequel simply repeats the same formula without adding anything new, people lose interest—no matter how successful the earlier films were.

Upcoming sequels: can they turn things around?
Despite the recent setbacks, Bollywood isn’t slowing down on its franchise plans. The big question is whether these films can break the current trend and win back audiences.

Some upcoming franchise films like Jolly LLB 3, De De Pyaar De 2, Cocktail 2, Border 2, Drishyam 3 are already set to release, while many big franchise like animal, golmaal, etc are set for the grand announcement. 
Each of these carries a strong brand name, but the pressure is on to deliver more than just nostalgia. Viewers today expect better writing, new ideas, and surprises that make the sequel worth the wait.
If these upcoming films manage to combine the strengths of their originals with fresh plots and characters, they could reverse the sequel slump.

The Lesson for Bollywood
Sequels can work, but only if they earn their place. A title can bring people to the theatre on opening day, but after that, it’s the story that decides the film’s fate. Bollywood will have to focus on creativity and originality if it wants its franchise films to win again.