Why Creating Sapne Vs Everyone Season 2 Was a Difficult Decision for Ambrish Verma and Arunabh Kumar

The success of the second season of Sapne vs Everyone has exceeded the expectations of its creators. For writer-director-actor Ambrish Verma, the primary concern during production was not about breaking records, but about satisfying viewers who had invested emotionally in the first season.

“The biggest fear with any sequel is that the audiences might feel this isn't what they signed up for,” Verma said. “Our only goal was to do justice to the story. Everything beyond that is a bonus. The response has been ten times what I imagined.”

The Dilemma Behind the Sequel

According to TVF founder Arunabh Kumar, a second season of the show was never a certainty. Following the success of the first instalment, Verma had already signed feature films and was keen to transition toward cinema, which had been his long-held ambition.

“At one point, Ambrish thought he might only act in Season 2,” Kumar recalled. “Eventually, he chose to write, direct and act in it again because he felt that was the best way to tell the story. It took him three to four months to make that decision because the film opportunity was significant.”

Verma explained that while there was scope for a second season, he had already signed a film. His hesitation also stemmed from past experience, having previously worked on a show where the second season was developed without him.

“It didn't land the way the first one did,” Verma said. “No one was at fault but when a story is continued by someone else, the sensibilities naturally differ.”

A feature film offered greater visibility and potentially life-changing financial rewards. However, Verma decided to commit fully to the series. “Once I decided, it was all in. There was no keeping a foot in two boats,” he said. The creators felt that if the show were to return, it deserved a larger platform, which it eventually found with support from Amazon Prime Video and TVF’s business team.

Shifting TVF's Creative DNA

Arunabh Kumar believes that Sapne vs Everyone altered the creative direction of TVF. “One of the best things Ambrish and Sapne did was change the palette and DNA of our storytelling,” Kumar said. “Production houses often become associated with a particular style. I had seen glimpses of Ambrish's voice in NCR Days, but Sapne took that much further.”

Kumar compared the reception of the second season to only one previous TVF phenomenon: Panchayat Season 2. “What has happened with Sapne vs Everyone Season 2 is rare. The second season has exceeded the first by a considerable margin,” he noted.

A Personal Connection to the Story

Verma’s connection to the series is deeply personal, reflecting his own life experiences. “I was a sales professional who wanted to become an actor,” Verma said. “The story was about a salesman chasing his dream while dealing with financial pressure, family responsibilities and uncertainty. At its core, it was about someone trying to figure out how to live his dream.”

Before creating Sapne vs Everyone, Verma made Dude and NCR Days, which established his credibility within TVF. The seed of Sapne existed long before production under the original title, The Art of Dreaming. The character of Jimmy, a morally compromised salesman played by Verma, was added later due to a brand collaboration that required exploring the darker side of sales.

Verma recalled that his most impractical decision was leaving his stable corporate job near the age of 30 to pursue acting. He survived on acting assignments, sketches, and music videos, earning about Rs. 50,000 a month at one point. He noted that the biggest challenge was comparing himself to friends who were earning high salaries abroad, but he found peace with his choices.

Creative Freedom and Collaboration

Both creators credit their long-standing professional relationship for the show's success. Verma noted that while Kumar has strong opinions, logic always prevails. For example, the first episode of Season 2 was originally 90 minutes long. Kumar initially questioned the length, but Verma believed splitting it would weaken the experience and chose to keep it intact after testing the idea.

The series has achieved critical acclaim, featuring in IMDb's Top 250 rankings with every episode rated above 9.3. However, Kumar emphasized that viewership remains the priority. “At TVF, we say views are more important than reviews. First, people need to watch the show,” Kumar said, adding that YouTube serves as a tough training ground where creators must earn every minute of an audience's time.

Future Plans

TVF is currently expanding its portfolio, exploring film production through the upcoming project Vvan, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia. Meanwhile, Verma has returned to the feature film project he had postponed.

Regarding the future of Sapne vs Everyone, Verma stated, “As far as Sapne is concerned, we're still figuring out the right format. Should the next chapter be another season or a film? We're trying to decide what serves the story best.”