Ajay Devgn is ready to bring back his powerful character, IRS officer Amay Patnaik, in Raid 2. The trailer for the much-awaited sequel dropped on April 8, 2025, and while fans were excited to see Ajay return, many were left wondering—why is Vaani Kapoor replacing Ileana D’Cruz as his wife in the new film?
In Raid (2018), Ileana D’Cruz played the role of Amay Patnaik’s supportive wife, and many fans felt she shared great chemistry with Ajay. After the trailer of Raid 2 was released, several fans took to social media to express their confusion over the casting change.
One post on Reddit read, “In my opinion, Ileana was good, she had a nice chemistry with Ajay and they shared a good bond. Then why did they replace her?” Another user commented, “Is Vaani the second wife? Or do they want us to forget that Ileana was the wife in the first movie?” Some speculated that Ileana might have been pregnant during the shooting of Raid 2, which could have led to her being replaced.
The discussion also pointed out a trend in Bollywood where female leads are often replaced in sequels, even when the male lead remains the same. Examples like Singham, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, and others were mentioned as similar cases.
At the Raid 2 trailer launch event, Ajay Devgn finally addressed the casting change. When asked about his character’s “new wife,” he said, “You see this happen a lot in Hollywood too. Sean Connery wasn’t the only James Bond. It’s the character that continues, and new faces come in.”
Vaani Kapoor, who plays Amay Patnaik’s wife in Raid 2, also responded to the buzz. She clarified that there was no rivalry or jealousy between her and Ileana D’Cruz. “There’s no jealousy with the previous one,” she said. “We share a great off-screen equation. I just focused on playing my role in the most honest and authentic way, based on what the director and writer wanted. This film shows a new side of me, and it felt refreshing.”
Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid 2 continues the story of IRS officer Amay Patnaik as he takes on another high-stakes case involving white-collar crime. While Ajay Devgn and Saurabh Shukla are returning to their original roles, the film also features new cast members like Riteish Deshmukh and Vaani Kapoor.
Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak, and Krishan Kumar, the film is presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series and produced under the Panorama Studios banner.
Raid 2 is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2025, and fans are eager to see how the story unfolds with new faces and fresh twists.
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