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Filmmaker Anil Sharma says that the moment he got his hands on the script for *Gadar: Ek Prem Katha*, he realized it had the potential to become India's biggest hit. Even 25 years later—after setting numerous records and spawning a successful franchise—Anil Sharma considers himself fortunate that the film remains alive in people's hearts.

**What did the filmmaker say about the movie *Gadar*?**
In an interview with *Hindustan Times*, recalling the film, Anil Sharma said, "The day the film's writer, Shaktimaan Talwar, narrated the story to me, I understood right then that it could become India's biggest hit—and that is exactly what happened.

"*Mother India*, *Mughal-e-Azam*, and *Sholay* have been my favorite films, and I strove to ensure this movie reached that same level. It did indeed join the list of top films. Beyond its blockbuster box-office earnings, the film drew an audience of nearly 100 million (10 crore)—a feat no other film has achieved to this day. Even *Gadar 2* had only half that footfall."

**The filmmaker's statement on the clash with *Lagaan***
Regarding the clash with *Lagaan* on the day of release, he says, "Today, we talk about the competition with *Lagaan*, but back then, it wasn't viewed that way. In that era, two or three major films would often be released simultaneously, and all of them would perform well. People would go to watch a second film after seeing the first. That was an era driven by the heart, not by marketing strategies."

Speaking about the casting, Anil Sharma says, "People ask if there were other options, but we simply didn't have any alternatives for Sunny Deol, Amrish Puri, or the rest of the cast."

**Will *Gadar 3* be made?**
When asked about the possibility of *Gadar 3*, he said, "When Utkarsh grew up, people started asking for a story centered on Jeete. But for me, if *Gadar* was a bomb, I needed a story akin to an 'atom bomb' for *Gadar 2*—and it went on to make history." "I will make ‘Gadar 3’ only if I find a story that is like a nuclear bomb. We are working on the script, and if everything goes well, shooting could begin next year." Notably, the first installment featured Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Amrish Puri in lead roles. The film was released on June 15, 2001, alongside Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’.

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