Rashmika Mandanna vs Kriti Sanon: Who is Maddock's favourite at Cocktail 2 launch?
Synopsis
At the Cocktail 2 music launch in Mumbai, Rashmika Mandanna pulled out the Chhaava box office card to claim Maddock's favouritism, while Kriti Sanon countered with eight films and counting. Shahid Kapoor walked in and tried to steal both their thunder — and the evening was exactly the kind of effortless chemistry that makes this sequel worth watching.
Key Takeaways
Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon engaged in playful banter over producer favouritism at the Cocktail 2 music launch on 18 May 2025 in Mumbai .
Kriti Sanon cited her eight-film association with Maddock Films as proof of her standing with the banner.
Rashmika Mandanna invoked the box office success of Chhaava to claim the favouritism crown.
Shahid Kapoor made a scene-stealing entry, joking he was in both songs while each actress featured in one.
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan ; it is a sequel to the 2012 hit starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone .
Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon turned the music launch of Cocktail 2 into an evening of playful one-upmanship on Sunday, 18 May, sparring in good humour over who holds the title of producer Dinesh Vijan's favourite at Maddock Films. The event, held at a popular venue in Mumbai, doubled as a special media meet-and-greet session.
How the banter began
Kriti Sanon set the tone early, jokingly welcoming the crowd with, 'First of all, all of you, welcome to my song launch, guys.' Rashmika Mandanna was having none of it. She immediately cut in: 'You mean, my song launch?' The exchange escalated delightfully when Rashmika doubled down: 'Actually, my song is launching today. We are just showing yours to keep you happy.'
Kriti's Maddock credentials — and Rashmika's Chhaava card
Kriti fired back with a confident counter, citing her long association with the banner: 'Baby, I have done some seven films with Maddock. This is my eighth. I don't think they need to keep me happy at all. I am very happy.' Rashmika, however, played her trump card — the blockbuster run of her recent film Chhaava. 'After the box office numbers of Chhaava, I think the favoritism has changed a bit,' she quipped, drawing laughs from the audience.
Shahid Kapoor steps in as unlikely peacemaker
Just as the mock feud threatened to spiral, co-star Shahid Kapoor made a dramatic entrance and attempted to claim the launch for himself: 'Welcome to my song's launch.' The two actresses swiftly corrected him — 'You mean our song launch' — prompting Shahid to concede with characteristic wit: 'Yeah, I mean our song launch… you both are in one respectively… but I am in both.'
About Cocktail 2
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan under the Maddock Films banner. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles. It is a sequel to the 2012 romantic drama Cocktail, which featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty. The original remains a cult favourite of early-2010s Bollywood romance. Anticipation for the sequel has been building steadily, with the music launch marking one of the first major public appearances of the ensemble cast together.
Point of View
Where she was once seen primarily as a South crossover star. Kriti Sanon's eight-film Maddock loyalty, meanwhile, underscores how Dinesh Vijan has quietly built one of Hindi cinema's most consistent star-producer relationships. The real story here is not who is the favourite — it is that Maddock Films now has the pull to assemble two of the industry's biggest female stars in one frame.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Cocktail 2 music launch?
At the Cocktail 2 music launch held in Mumbai on 18 May 2025, lead actresses Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon engaged in a lighthearted on-stage argument over who is producer Dinesh Vijan's favourite at Maddock Films. Co-star Shahid Kapoor joined in and added to the fun by trying to claim the launch for himself.
What did Rashmika Mandanna say about Chhaava at the Cocktail 2 event?
Rashmika Mandanna jokingly referenced the strong box office performance of her film Chhaava to suggest that the favouritism at Maddock Films had shifted in her favour, saying, 'After the box office numbers of Chhaava, I think the favoritism has changed a bit.'
How many films has Kriti Sanon done with Maddock Films?
Kriti Sanon stated at the Cocktail 2 music launch that Cocktail 2 is her eighth film with Maddock Films, citing this long association as evidence of her strong relationship with the banner.
Who is directing and producing Cocktail 2?
Cocktail 2 is directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika Mandanna.
What was the original Cocktail film about?
The original Cocktail, released in 2012, was a romantic drama directed by Homi Adajania and starred Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty. It remains a well-regarded Bollywood film from the early 2010s, and Cocktail 2 is its sequel.
