Emraan Hashmi, Sunny Deol, Ajay Devgn And More: Bollywood Stars Who Returned To Iconic Roles Years Later

Written By: Entertainment Desk

Aug 22, 2026 12:41 IST ⓘ

Sunny Deol, Emraan Hashmi, Ajay Devgn and more stars who reprised their iconic characters after years.

A memorable character can survive long after a film leaves theatres. The costume becomes instantly recognisable, the dialogues enter popular culture and audiences begin to associate the role so closely with its actor that casting somebody else seems almost unthinkable. Bollywood has repeatedly tapped into this connection, bringing beloved characters back after gaps ranging from a few years to more than two decades. The results have varied dramatically. Some comebacks have produced record-breaking blockbusters, while others have discovered that nostalgia cannot rescue an underwhelming film.

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Nevertheless, seeing Tara Singh lift a handpump – or Tiger knot his trademark scarf – can turn a sequel into an event before its first ticket is sold. We decided to revisit some of these truly iconic characters made popular by our favourite Bollywood stars.

Without further ado, check out the list below:

1. Emraan Hashmi As Shivam Pandit

When ‘Awarapan’ opened on June 29, 2007, it was not a theatrical success. Directed by Mohit Suri and starring Emraan Hashmi alongside Shriya Saran and Ashutosh Rana, the romantic crime drama collected approximately Rs 12.18 crore worldwide. Time, however, treated the film far more kindly than the box office did. Its soulful music, brooding atmosphere and Emraan Hashmi’s performance as the guilt-ridden gangster Shivam helped it acquire a devoted following.

19 years later, Emraan finally returned as Shivam in ‘Awarapan 2’, released on August 14, 2026. Directed by Nitin Kakkar, the sequel co-stars Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi. The apparently definitive nature of the original’s climax made Shivam’s return particularly intriguing, and audiences responded in numbers that the first film could never manage. The film has earned approximately Rs 144.13 crore worldwide through its fifth day, with its theatrical run still underway as of today.

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2. Sunny Deol As Tara Singh

Few Hindi-film characters have aged as loudly as Tara Singh. Sunny Deol first played the truck driver whose love story is torn apart by Partition in Anil Sharma’s ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, released on June 15, 2001. Ameesha Patel played Sakeena, while Amrish Puri and Utkarsh Sharma were among the other principal stars. The film became a historic blockbuster, grossing approximately Rs 111.73 crore worldwide at a time when reaching that figure was an extraordinary achievement.

‘Gadar 2’ arrived on August 11, 2023, after a staggering 22-year wait. Anil Sharma again directed, with Sunny, Ameesha and Utkarsh reprising their roles; Simrat Kaur and Manish Wadhwa joined the cast. This time, Tara crossed the border to rescue his son, Jeete – and the audience reaction was even more thunderous than his famous roar. With approximately Rs 686 crore worldwide, the sequel became one of Hindi cinema’s biggest blockbusters and proved that Tara Singh had lost none of his pulling power.

3. Ajay Devgn As Vijay Salgaonkar, Bajirao Singham And Amay Patnaik

Ajay Devgn has returned to more signature characters than most Hindi-film stars. Among the most fascinating is Vijay Salgaonkar, the unassuming family man whose knowledge of films helps him construct an extraordinary alibi in Nishikant Kamat’s ‘Drishyam’. Released on July 31, 2015, the thriller starred Ajay alongside Tabu, Shriya Saran, and Rajat Kapoor and eventually grossed approximately Rs 135.92 crore worldwide. Ajay Devgn returned seven years later in Abhishek Pathak’s ‘Drishyam 2’, released on November 18, 2022. Tabu and Shriya reprised their roles, while Akshaye Khanna joined the investigation. The sequel earned approximately Rs 345.05 crore worldwide.

Ajay Devgn has also played police officer Bajirao Singham across three Rohit Shetty-directed films. ‘Singham’, released on July 22, 2011, earned approximately Rs 147.89 crore worldwide. ‘Singham Returns’ arrived on August 15, 2014, and collected approximately Rs 220.50 crore. A decade later, ‘Singham Again’ was released on November 1, 2024, bringing Ajay Devgn back. It grossed approximately Rs 389.64 crore worldwide. Ajay Devgn scored another return as income-tax officer Amay Patnaik in Raj Kumar Gupta’s ‘Raid 2’, released on May 1, 2025, seven years after ‘Raid’ opened on March 16, 2018. The original earned Rs 153.62 crore worldwide, while the sequel – co-starring Riteish Deshmukh – collected approximately Rs 243.06 crore.

4. Salman Khan As Tiger And Chulbul Pandey

Salman Khan first played RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore, better known as Tiger, in Kabir Khan’s ‘Ek Tha Tiger’. Released on August 15, 2012, the film paired him with Katrina Kaif as Pakistani intelligence agent Zoya. It grossed approximately Rs 334.39 crore worldwide. Salman and Katrina returned in Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ on December 22, 2017. The sequel earned approximately Rs 564.20 crore worldwide. Maneesh Sharma’s ‘Tiger 3’ followed on November 12, 2023, with Emraan Hashmi, joining Salman and Katrina. It collected approximately Rs 466.63 crore worldwide, while Tiger also popped up in ‘Pathaan’ for one of the spy universe’s most crowd-pleasing cameos.

Before the spy universe expanded, however, Salman had already created another franchise-defining character: Chulbul Pandey. Abhinav Kashyap’s ‘Dabangg’, released on September 10, 2010, starred Salman with Sonakshi Sinha, and earned approximately Rs 221.14 crore worldwide. Arbaaz directed ‘Dabangg 2’, released on December 21, 2012. It collected around Rs 253.54 crore. Salman wore the uniform and heart-shaped sunglasses again in Prabhu Deva’s ‘Dabangg 3’ on December 20, 2019. Co-starring Sonakshi, it grossed approximately Rs 230.93 crore worldwide. Tiger may be the international superspy, but Chulbul remains the character who can turn a belt buckle into a dance move.

5. Sanjay Dutt As Munna Bhai

Sanjay Dutt found one of his most beloved characters in Murli Prasad Sharma, better known as Munna Bhai. Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, released on December 19, 2003, followed the good-hearted gangster as he enrolled in medical college after his parents discovered the truth about his profession. Arshad Warsi played Munna’s loyal companion Circuit. The film earned approximately Rs 34.60 crore worldwide and transformed “jaadu ki jhappi” into a phrase recognised far beyond the film.

Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi returned as Munna and Circuit in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’, released on September 1, 2006. Vidya Balan joined them in a new story that placed Munna’s underworld methods against Mahatma Gandhi’s principles. The sequel earned approximately Rs 127.55 crore worldwide and became an even bigger cultural and commercial success.

6. Rani Mukerji As Shivani Shivaji Roy And Babli

Rani Mukerji introduced police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy in Pradeep Sarkar’s ‘Mardaani’, released on August 22, 2014. Co-starring Tahir Raj Bhasin, the child-trafficking thriller earned approximately Rs 59.55 crore worldwide. Rani returned in Gopi Puthran’s ‘Mardaani 2’ on December 13, 2019, with Vishal Jethwa playing a terrifying young criminal; it grossed approximately Rs 67.12 crore. She wore the uniform for a third time in Abhiraj Minawala’s ‘Mardaani 3’, released on January 30, 2026. Co-starring Mallika Prasad, the film collected approximately Rs 78.82 crore worldwide and extended one of Hindi cinema’s few successful woman-led theatrical franchises.

Rani Mukerji also pulled off a much longer comeback as Vimmi “Babli” Trivedi. She first played the colourful small-town con artist opposite Abhishek Bachchan in Shaad Ali’s ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, released on May 27, 2005. The film earned approximately Rs 62.74 crore worldwide. 16 years later, Rani reprised Babli in Varun V Sharma’s ‘Bunty Aur Babli 2’, released on November 19, 2021. Saif Ali Khan replaced Abhishek as Bunty, while Siddhant Chaturvedi, Sharvari and Pankaj Tripathi joined the cast. The sequel struggled commercially, earning approximately Rs 22.12 crore worldwide, but Rani’s return remained notable because she was the only member of the original Bunty-Babli pair to come back.

7. Akshay Kumar As Raju

Akshay Kumar has appeared in several long-running franchises, but ‘Housefull’ does not fit this list because he has played different characters across its installments. Raju is another matter entirely. In Priyadarshan’s ‘Hera Pheri’, released on March 31, 2000, Akshay played the ambitious, chronically cash-strapped tenant caught in an accidental kidnapping plot with Suniel Shetty’s Shyam and Paresh Rawal’s Baburao. Tabu was also part of the principal cast. The comedy collected approximately Rs 17.80 crore worldwide during its original run before growing into a television and home-video phenomenon.

Neeraj Vora’s ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ reunited Akshay, Suniel and Paresh on June 9, 2006. Bipasha Basu, Rimi Sen, Johnny Lever and Rajpal Yadav joined the chaos as Raju’s latest shortcut to wealth dragged the trio into another spectacular financial mess. The sequel earned approximately Rs 67.71 crore worldwide. Yet its bigger legacy may be cultural: Raju, Shyam and Baburao continue to supply reaction images and memes decades later.

8. Shah Rukh Khan As Don

SRK took on the double role of Don and Vijay in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don: The Chase Begins Again’, a contemporary reinvention of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan classic. Released on October 20, 2006, the thriller also starred Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Boman Irani, Isha Koppikar and Om Puri. Its twist ending made one thing very clear: this Don was not going to be captured quite so easily. The film grossed approximately Rs 105.39 crore worldwide.

Farhan Akhtar and SRK reunited for ‘Don 2’ on December 23, 2011. Priyanka, Boman and Om Puri returned, while Lara Dutta and Kunal Kapoor joined a European heist that allowed SRK’s charming criminal mastermind to operate on a far larger canvas. The sequel nearly doubled its predecessor’s business with approximately Rs 209.55 crore worldwide. Shah Rukh’s Don remains a fascinating franchise case: the star successfully made an already famous character his own, then walked away after two films – leaving the swagger, smirk and “Don ko pakadna…” line intact.

9. Hrithik Roshan As Krrish And Kabir Dhaliwal

Hrithik Roshan first became the masked superhero Krrish in Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krrish’, released on June 23, 2006. The film starred Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah and Rekha, with Hrithik playing both Krishna Mehra and his father, Rohit. It earned approximately Rs 120.60 crore worldwide. Seven years later, he returned in ‘Krrish 3’, released on November 1, 2013. Rakesh Roshan again directed, while Priyanka and Rekha returned and Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut joined as Kaal and Kaya. The superhero sequel grossed approximately Rs 393.37 crore worldwide, establishing Krrish as one of India’s most commercially successful home-grown screen superheroes.

Hrithik subsequently found another franchise character in Major Kabir Dhaliwal. Siddharth Anand’s ‘War’, released on October 2, 2019, pitted Kabir against his former protégé, played by Tiger Shroff. The action blockbuster earned approximately Rs 475.62 crore worldwide. Six years later, Hrithik returned in Ayan Mukerji’s ‘War 2’, released on August 14, 2025. Jr NTR and Kiara Advani joined him this time. Although the sequel’s approximately Rs 303.22-crore worldwide gross fell short of the original, Kabir’s comeback gave Hrithik two separate action franchises built around enduring characters.

10. Saif Ali Khan As Ranvir Singh

Saif Ali Khan brought understated menace and effortless sophistication to Ranvir Singh in Abbas–Mustan’s ‘Race’, released on March 21, 2008. The twist-filled thriller also starred Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor and Sameera Reddy. Saif’s character was a wealthy businessman and accomplished horse owner caught in a lethal game of betrayal with his younger brother. The film collected approximately Rs 103.68 crore worldwide.

Five years later, Saif returned as Ranvir in ‘Race 2’, released on January 25, 2013. Abbas–Mustan again directed, while Anil Kapoor and Bipasha Basu reprised their roles; John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ameesha Patel joined the ensemble. Ranvir entered another elaborate maze of revenge, deception and double-crosses, helping the sequel earn approximately Rs 173.36 crore worldwide.

11. Amitabh Bachchan As Subhash Nagre

Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Sarkar’ gave Amitabh Bachchan one of the defining roles of his later career. Released on July 1, 2005, the political crime drama cast him as Subhash Nagre, an unofficial power centre whose calm authority was considerably more intimidating than a room full of armed men. Abhishek Bachchan, Kay Kay Menon, Supriya Pathak, Katrina Kaif and Tanishaa Mukerji were among the principal cast members. The film earned approximately Rs 37.96 crore worldwide.

Big B returned in ‘Sarkar Raj’, released on June 6, 2008, with Abhishek, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Supriya Pathak. It grossed approximately Rs 58.60 crore worldwide. Nine more years passed before ‘Sarkar 3’ arrived on May 12, 2017, featuring Amit Sadh, Jackie Shroff, Manoj Bajpayee, Yami Gautam and Ronit Roy alongside Amitabh Bachchan. Its worldwide total was a much lower Rs 18.48 crore, but Big B’s measured voice, dark clothing and prayer beads still made Subhash Nagre instantly recognisable 12 years after the first film.

12. Abhishek Bachchan As Jai Dixit

The thieves changed, the motorcycles became faster and the stunts grew increasingly extravagant, but Abhishek Bachchan’s police officer Jai Dixit remained the connecting thread of the ‘Dhoom’ trilogy. Sanjay Gadhvi’s ‘Dhoom’, released on August 27, 2004, paired Jai with Uday Chopra’s enthusiastic Ali as they pursued John Abraham’s biker gang. The film grossed approximately Rs 47.70 crore worldwide.

Sanjay Gadhvi’s ‘Dhoom 2’ followed on November 24, 2006, with Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Bipasha Basu joining Abhishek and Uday. It collected approximately Rs 149.98 crore worldwide. Vijay Krishna Acharya’s ‘Dhoom 3’, released on December 20, 2013, then sent Jai and Ali after Aamir Khan’s twin characters, with Katrina Kaif and Jackie Shroff completing the principal cast. Its approximately Rs 556.74 crore worldwide gross turned the franchise into a global blockbuster.

13. Anil Kapoor As Majnu Bhai

Only Majnu Bhai could abandon the underworld for painting and still produce artwork more dangerous than his criminal career. Anil Kapoor first played the flamboyant gangster in Anees Bazmee’s ‘Welcome’, released on December 21, 2007. The ensemble included Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal, Feroz Khan and Mallika Sherawat. Its approximately Rs 117.91 crore worldwide gross made it a major hit, while Majnu’s questionable paintings and partnership with Nana’s Uday Shetty became comedy staples.

Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar returned eight years later in Anees Bazmee’s ‘Welcome Back’, released on September 4, 2015. John Abraham and Shruti Haasan replaced the original romantic pair, while Paresh Rawal returned and Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia joined the cast. The sequel grossed approximately Rs 167.37 crore worldwide.

14. Rajkummar Rao As Vicky

Rajkummar Rao’s Vicky began as an exceptionally talented ladies’ tailor who appeared hilariously underprepared to confront a supernatural threat. Amar Kaushik’s ‘Stree’, released on August 31, 2018, also starred Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. Combining small-town humour with the legend of a spirit who abducts men, the film became a surprise blockbuster and earned approximately Rs 180.76 crore worldwide.

Six years later, Rajkummar Rao returned to Chanderi in ‘Stree 2’, released on August 15, 2024. Amar Kaushik again directed, with Shraddha, Pankaj, Aparshakti and Abhishek reprising their characters and Akshay Kumar appearing in a special role. This time, Vicky and his friends faced Sarkata, a headless entity targeting the town’s women. The sequel exploded into a genuine pop-culture phenomenon, earning approximately Rs 874.58 crore worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2024.

15. Arshad Warsi As Jolly Tyagi And Circuit

Arshad Warsi played struggling lawyer Jagdish “Jolly” Tyagi in Subhash Kapoor’s ‘Jolly LLB’, released on March 15, 2013. Amrita Rao, Boman Irani and Saurabh Shukla co-starred in the courtroom satire, which followed Jolly’s transformation from an opportunistic lawyer into an advocate willing to confront the powerful. The film earned approximately Rs 48.70 crore worldwide and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. Although Akshay Kumar led ‘Jolly LLB 2’ as a different lawyer, Arshad Warsi reclaimed his black coat in ‘Jolly LLB 3’ on September 19, 2025. Subhash Kapoor directed the clash between both Jollys, with Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao and Huma Qureshi reprising their roles and Gajraj Rao and Seema Biswas joining the cast. The film collected approximately Rs 166.06 crore worldwide.

Arshad Warsi had already created an even more widely loved character as Circuit in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, released on December 19, 2003. Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Dutt, Gracy Singh, Boman Irani and Jimmy Sheirgill were among the principal stars, and the film earned approximately Rs 34.60 crore worldwide. Arshad Warsi reunited with Sanjay Dutt as Circuit in ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ on September 1, 2006, alongside Vidya Balan. The sequel grossed approximately Rs 127.55 crore, with Munna and Circuit’s friendship becoming the emotional backbone of the franchise.

These comebacks show that iconic characters are not defined simply by costumes, catchphrases or familiar background music. Their real staying power comes from the bond audiences form with the actors who brought them to life. Whether the interval lasted three years or more than two decades, each return carried the weight of nostalgia and expectation. Not every comeback produced a blockbuster, but the excitement surrounding these roles proves one thing: in Bollywood, a truly memorable character never really leaves – the audience is always waiting for the right moment to welcome them back.