Acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Basu is all set to return with Metro... In Dino, a spiritual sequel to his 2007 cult classic Life in a... Metro. The upcoming anthology film, written and directed by Basu, is produced by T-Series Films and Anurag Basu Productions, and promises a refreshing blend of contemporary love stories woven into the fabric of India’s rapidly evolving urban life.
Speaking at the launch of the film’s first song Zamana Lage, Basu offered heartfelt insights into his creative partnership with long-time collaborator and music director Pritam. Known for their iconic soundtracks together, the duo’s chemistry, Basu says, resembles that of an “old married couple. “We fight a lot—just like an old couple. We argue constantly until the music creates its own love story. That’s how we work. You never know when a song gets made, or when the script starts shaping up. It just happens,” Basu shared with a laugh.
For Basu, the real joy of filmmaking often comes from crafting music with Pritam.“I enjoy making films, but I enjoy making music with Pritam the most,” he said.
What makes Pritam unique, Basu explains, is his uncanny ability to understand the emotional pulse of the script—something the director admits he’s not always great at expressing in words.“I’m not a great narrator—everyone knows that—but somehow, Pritam still gets it. He sets the tone for the entire film. The kind of songs we’ve created for Metro... In Dino took time; they weren’t just ready-made. Every song is poetic. It has depth. If it doesn’t touch your soul, then what’s the point?”
Basu also spoke about what drew him back to the world of Metro.... Despite having explored many aspects of urban life in the original, he waited until he found something genuinely new to say.“I love rain. In all my films, rain and trains keep coming back. Over the years, we could have made this earlier, but I didn’t know what fresh story to tell. Now, cities have changed. People’s crises, aspirations, and relationships have changed. That’s what inspired this film.”
The film spans across multiple Indian cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, and even a touch of Pune—each bringing its own flavor and emotional landscape to the narrative.“Cities play such an important role in our lives. Mumbai in its way, Delhi in another, Kolkata in yet another… That’s what we’ve tried to reflect in the film.”
With a stellar cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Neena Gupta, and Anupam Kher, Metro... In Dino brings together four unique stories that reflect the complexity, confusion, and connections of modern relationships. The film is scheduled to release on 4 July 2025.