Cocktail 2 secures adults-only certification before release.

Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna headline Homi Adajania’s mature take on modern romance

The upcoming Bollywood release Cocktail 2 has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with an ‘A’ rating, restricting its audience to adults. The film, directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan, is set to release on June 19. Though not a direct sequel, it is being described as a spiritual successor to the 2012 hit Cocktail, which featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty.

Cocktail 2 features Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna in leading roles. At 150 minutes, the film runs slightly longer than the original, which was 146 minutes. Adajania, who also helmed the first installment, returns with Vijan to craft a fresh narrative centered on a love triangle, promising a more layered exploration of relationships compared to the breezy tone of its predecessor.

The certification carries different implications for each star. For Kriti Sanon, whose career has largely been built on family-friendly titles such as Heropanti, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and Mimi, this marks her first adult-rated project. Rashmika Mandanna, on the other hand, has already crossed this threshold with Animal in 2023, a film that became a massive commercial success. Shahid Kapoor is the most seasoned in this regard, with Cocktail 2 becoming his fifth film to receive an ‘A’ certificate. His earlier ventures in this category include Kaminey, Udta Punjab, Kabir Singh, and, most recently, O’ Romeo. Interestingly, this is the first time he has delivered two back-to-back adult-rated films.

With its adult certification, extended runtime, and a cast stepping into new creative territory, Cocktail 2 is shaping up to be a bold reimagining of modern romance. Audiences will soon discover whether this mature take resonates as strongly as the original when it hits cinemas on June 19.