Quick answer: Judwaa 2 is David Dhawan’s 2017 reboot of his own 1997 comedy Judwaa, with Varun Dhawan playing the twins Raja and Prem, the double role Salman Khan played in the original, opposite Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu. It released on 29 September 2017, not in 2018 as this page first said. Despite poor reviews it was a hit: Bollywood Hungama records a worldwide gross of about ₹217.75 crore.
About this page
This article was written in early 2017, when the lead cast of Judwaa 2 was announced and filming had not yet begun. The film has since been released, so we keep the page as a record of the announcements, correct what turned out to be wrong, and add how the film did. Details were checked again in October 2026.
Judwaa 2: key facts
- Type of film: Hindi action comedy, a reboot of Judwaa (1997)
- Director: David Dhawan
- Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala (Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment)
- Distributor: Fox Star Studios
- Released: 29 September 2017
The original article called Judwaa 2 an “official sequel”. David Dhawan described it as a reboot: the same basic story of twins separated at birth, retold with new scenes and a new cast. He said he had kept some eight to ten scenes from Judwaa that he loved.
Salman Khan’s Judwaa (1997)
Judwaa was released on 7 February 1997. David Dhawan directed it and Sajid Nadiadwala produced it. Salman Khan played the double role of the twins, with Karisma Kapoor and Rambha as the heroines and Kader Khan, Anupam Kher and Shakti Kapoor in the supporting cast. It was itself a remake of the Telugu film Hello Brother (1994), which was inspired by Jackie Chan’s Twin Dragons (1992).
Judwaa 2 cast
- Varun Dhawan in a double role as the twins Raja and Prem Malhotra
- Jacqueline Fernandez as Alishka
- Taapsee Pannu as Samaira
- Anupam Kher, who was also in the 1997 film, with Sachin Khedekar and Zakir Hussain
- Salman Khan in a cameo as the original Raja and Prem
Varun Dhawan is David Dhawan’s son. Before the heroines were confirmed, several actresses were named in media speculation; as this page reported in early 2017, the roles went to Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu. Jacqueline Fernandez had already worked with Varun Dhawan in Dishoom (2016), while Judwaa 2 was Taapsee Pannu’s first film with him.
When this page was first written, Varun Dhawan was busy with Badrinath Ki Dulhania, opposite Alia Bhatt, which released on 10 March 2017. Judwaa 2 was due to start filming once that film was finished. (The original article also said all seven of Varun Dhawan’s films until then had been hits; we have not repeated that claim.)
What Judwaa 2 is about
Twins born in Mumbai are separated as babies when a criminal kidnaps one of them. Prem grows up in London as a gentle, music-loving student, while Raja grows up streetwise in Mumbai. Because the twins’ reflexes mirror each other when they are close, chaos follows when Raja travels to London and both brothers fall in love.
How Judwaa 2 performed
Reviews were largely negative, but audiences turned up. According to Bollywood Hungama, Judwaa 2 opened with about ₹16.10 crore nett in India, collected about ₹59.25 crore in its opening weekend, and finished with about ₹138.61 crore nett in India (₹177.71 crore gross) and a worldwide gross of about ₹217.75 crore.
For more from the stars of both films, see our collections of Salman Khan dialogues and Varun Dhawan dialogues. Badrinath Ki Dulhania is covered in our list of Bollywood movies released January to March 2017.
Frequently asked questions
When did Judwaa 2 release?
Judwaa 2 released on 29 September 2017.
Is Salman Khan in Judwaa 2?
Yes, in a cameo as Raja and Prem from the 1997 Judwaa. The lead double role is played by Varun Dhawan.
Is Judwaa 2 a remake?
It is a reboot of Judwaa (1997), by the same director, David Dhawan. Judwaa was itself a remake of the Telugu film Hello Brother (1994).
Was Judwaa 2 a hit?
Yes. Despite negative reviews, it grossed about ₹217.75 crore worldwide, according to Bollywood Hungama.
Credits, dates and box office checked in October 2026 against the films’ published credits and Bollywood Hungama’s box office page. Box office figures are attributed because sources differ.
