A One Year Post That Said A Lot

Sonam Bajwa marked one year of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on October 21, 2026, with a post that thanked audiences and called the film one of the most challenging and rewarding projects of her career. She shared photos with co-star Harshvardhan Rane and director Milap Zaveri, and her message was simple. People had embraced the film with love, and she was grateful. That post matters because it shows how a mid sized romantic drama can build a lasting bond with viewers. The film did not open as the biggest Diwali release of 2025. It opened on October 21, 2025, alongside Ayushmann Khurrana's horror comedy Thamma, and it grew through music, word of mouth, and repeat viewing. By the time it turned one, it was remembered as a surprise hit, not as a film that faded in week two.
The story itself is about a powerful politician who falls for a strong willed superstar, and their romance spirals into obsession, pride, and heartbreak. Harshvardhan Rane plays Vikramaditya Bhonsle, and Sonam Bajwa plays Aada Randhawa. Milap Zaveri directed the film and co-wrote it with Mushtaq Shiekh. That pairing of a politician and a star gave the film a built in tension. He has power in public life, she has power in public attention, and neither is used to losing. When love turns into control, the film asks who pays the price. Audiences clearly connected with that question, even when critics debated whether the hero's love was romantic or problematic. Zaveri later defended the character, saying his love was not driven by lust or obsession in the way some readings suggested.

How A Smaller Film Won Diwali 2025

Diwali 2025 did not belong to a single superstar clash. It belonged to two very different films that split the audience. Thamma brought horror comedy and a franchise audience, while Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat brought romance and music. Together, the two films collected about Rs 214 crore net in India, according to Times Now's Diwali box office lookback. Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat alone collected about Rs 78.99 crore net in India and Rs 110.28 crore worldwide, in that same reporting. Those numbers made it the 12th highest grossing Hindi film of 2025, a result that surprised many trade watchers at the time. It proved that a romantic drama with strong songs and a clear emotional hook could still win a festive slot, even without a huge star cast.
The budget story is just as important. Zaveri has spoken about controlled budgets as the key to success, saying the biggest issue in the industry is wastage of money. His team, he said, spent where required but not unnecessarily, and shot four to five scenes a day in places. That discipline is why a Rs 110 crore worldwide total could feel like a super hit, not just a pass. A film made at the right cost does not need to break records to succeed. It needs to find its audience and hold them. Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat did that, and its one year anniversary became a chance for the team to celebrate a model, not just a single film.

What A Sequel Could Look Like

Sequel talks are now reported, not confirmed as a shoot. Director Milap Zaveri has said discussions are taking place, and that he has talked with producer Anshul Garg, Harshvardhan Rane, Sonam Bajwa, and others about a second part. Reports in October 2026 said work on Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat 2 could kick off soon, driven by public demand. You should read that as early talks, not as a locked cast or date. No official sequel announcement with a release date was in the sources cited here. Still, the logic for a sequel is clear. The first film left its leads in a place where a second chapter could explore what happens after obsession, after fame, and after heartbreak. A sequel could also test whether the same controlled budget model works twice.
For Sonam Bajwa, the film also changed her run. After Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, she was seen in Border 2, the war drama co-written and directed by Anurag Singh, with Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty. That move from romance to war epic shows range, but it also shows how one hit can open bigger doors. For Harshvardhan Rane, the film strengthened his position as a romantic lead who can carry emotion without a franchise behind him. Both actors will be watched closely if a sequel moves forward, because their chemistry was a large part of why the first film worked.

Why This Film Still Gets Talked About

One year on, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is talked about for three reasons. First, its music and its lead chemistry gave it a life beyond cinemas, on reels, playlists, and fan edits. Second, its box office story became a case study in smart budgeting, a lesson Zaveri has now repeated in interviews. Third, its story sparked debate about love, control, and where romance ends and obsession begins, a debate that keeps a film alive long after its run. Those three threads together explain why a sequel is even being discussed. Not every hit gets a second part. A film gets a second part when audiences still care about its characters, and when makers think there is more story to tell without repeating the first film beat for beat.
If you have not seen it,  start with the songs, then watch the film for Rane and Bajwa's scenes together. If you have seen it, the one year posts are a good reminder of how quickly a Diwali surprise can become a career turning point. The sequel, if it happens, will need to earn that same surprise again. For now, the film stands as proof that a well made romance, at the right cost, can still win a festival slot and stay in people's minds a year later.

Sources and reporting

  1. Nation Press — 2026-10-21 · Verifies one year post, director, cast, and 12th highest grossing Hindi film of 2025
  2. Bollywood Hungama — 2026-10-22 · Verifies Bajwa post, story of politician and superstar, and Border 2 next film
  3. Times Now — 2026-11-03 · Verifies Diwali 2025 clash, Rs 78.99 crore India net, and Rs 110.28 crore worldwide