Kriti Sanon on Cocktail 2: 'I wanted a fresh film with messy characters'
Synopsis
Kriti Sanon says she had been starved of a film like Cocktail 2 — one with messy, liberated characters and no pretence of polish. Her admission that Ally is the furthest she has strayed from herself is the most intriguing casting note ahead of the Homi Adjania film's 19 June release.
Key Takeaways
Kriti Sanon plays character Ally in Cocktail 2 , releasing on 19 June .
Sanon described Ally as 'unhinged and liberated' — a sharp contrast to her own personality.
The actor said she had been 'missing a fresh young film with messy characters' before signing the project.
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adjania and also stars Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna .
Sanon's bohemian look for the character has already drawn significant attention ahead of release.
Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon opened up about her character Ally in the upcoming film Cocktail 2, saying she was instantly drawn to the role's unhinged, liberated energy — a sharp departure from the intense, action-heavy projects she had been doing. The actor made these remarks at the song launch event of Cocktail 2 in Mumbai on 18 June.
Why Kriti Said Yes to Cocktail 2
Sanon described the script as a breath of fresh air in a landscape dominated by high-stakes drama. 'When I heard the story of Cocktail 2, I just found it so different and so relevant and so fun. And all these three characters were so well written and they had their own graph and they were just fresh,' she said. She added that she had been craving exactly this kind of film: 'I wanted to see a fresh young film with just messy characters like we all are in life.'
What She Said About Ally
Sanon was candid about how far removed Ally is from her own personality, and why that distance made the role irresistible. 'I felt Ally was just so away from me as a person and so refreshing and so unhinged and liberated that I was just very drawn to her. I am just so glad that I could play her,' she said. The character's bohemian, carefree aesthetic has already been generating buzz online ahead of the film's release.
The Film and Its Cast
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adjania, who helmed the original 2012 cult favourite. The film stars Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna alongside Sanon, with all three characters described as having distinct narrative arcs. Adjania's return to the franchise has raised expectations for a similarly bold, character-driven story.
Release and What to Expect
The film is set to release on 19 June this year. Notably, the original Cocktail was celebrated for its nuanced portrayal of young, flawed characters navigating love and identity — a template Adjania appears to be revisiting with a new cast and contemporary sensibility. Whether Cocktail 2 can replicate that cultural resonance will be closely watched by both fans and the industry.
Point of View
Action, and spectacle, with little room for the kind of flawed, relatable characters that made the original Cocktail a sleeper hit. The real question is whether Homi Adjania can do it twice: the 2012 film worked because it subverted expectations of the love-triangle genre. Cocktail 2 carries the weight of that legacy while needing to feel entirely new. Sanon's visible excitement about the role is a good sign, but audience appetite for character-driven ensemble films — as opposed to star-vehicle blockbusters — remains the bigger commercial unknown.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kriti Sanon playing in Cocktail 2?
Kriti Sanon plays a character named Ally in Cocktail 2. She has described Ally as 'unhinged and liberated' — a personality very different from her own, which she says made the role especially appealing.
When does Cocktail 2 release?
Cocktail 2 is set to release on 19 June this year.
Who directed Cocktail 2?
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adjania, who also directed the original 2012 film Cocktail.
Who else stars in Cocktail 2 alongside Kriti Sanon?
The film stars Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna alongside Kriti Sanon. All three characters are said to have distinct and well-written narrative arcs.
Why did Kriti Sanon choose to do Cocktail 2?
Sanon said she was drawn to the film because it felt fresh and relevant, with 'messy' characters that reflect real life. She had been wanting to do a young, fun film after a stretch of intense and action-heavy projects.
