Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, in a recent interview, said that the upcoming sequel to his 2009 comedy-drama 3 Idiots will explore mid-life crises.

During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Hirani said, “There is a lot of work left. It’s primarily about what happens to these characters 15-20 years later. It’s not about college or anything. They are married and have children now. They are experiencing mid-life crisis, and so we will have to see, now what next?”

According to Hirani, the sequel will retain the spirit of the original and include a message, which he called a “big one.”

“The script still needs some work, but the story itself is really good — unusual, with the same humour as the first film. It follows the characters from 3 Idiots, picking up 10 years later.”

In April, Aamir Khan confirmed the sequel, revealing that it is currently in production.

In an interview with Amar Ujala, Aamir revealed that he has heard the story and found it “wonderful”, adding that the script is still being refined. He said the sequel will revisit Rancho, Farhan and Raju around a decade later.

According to a report by Pinkvilla, the sequel will reunite Aamir, Kareena Kapoor Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi.

Adapted from Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone, 3 Idiots hit theatres on December 25, 2009. It follows the story of three engineering students who share a close bond and navigate the pressures of academic life in India.

Aamir and Hirani, who were set to collaborate on a biopic of Dadasaheb Phalke, have reportedly put the project on hold, giving Hirani time to focus on the 3 Idiots sequel.

3 Idiots won three honours at the 57th National Film Awards, including the Best Popular Film Award. It also became the first Indian movie to cross the Rs 200-crore mark.

Produced under the banner of Vinod Chopra Films, 3 Idiots also starred Mona Singh, Achyut Potdar and Boman Irani.