In 2005, Ram Gopal Varma paid tribute to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972) by making the gritty crime thriller, Sarkar, led by Amitabh Bachchan. The subsequent two instalments — Sarkar Raj (2008) and Sarkar 3 (2017) — may not have made much impact, but the franchise gave Hindi cinema a formidable figure in Subhash Nagre. Almost six years since the last instalment, Bachchan is ready to reprise his role as the politician, who rules with an iron fist, in the fourth edition. Producer Anand Pandit reveals that work has begun on Sarkar 4, which is likely to go on floors by early 2024.

Ram Gopal Varma and Anand Pandit