Vivaan Shah sets the record straight about replacing Saif Ali Khan in Vishal Bhardwaj’s next film

Deepali Dhingara (MID-DAY; June 4, 2012)

 

Even though Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf proved to be a dud, Vivaan Shah managed to make a mark in Bollywood with his very first film.

The actor, who’s currently shooting for producer Sunil Bohra’s next Mastaan, is quite bemused by some of the buzz about him that are currently doing the rounds. And the one that strikes him the most as bizarre is that he’s replaced Saif Ali Khan in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Dreams.

“Who the hell am I to step into Saif’s shoes? Saif is one of the best actors we have today and I’m just a newcomer. It’s also a matter of age and skill, so why would anyone think it’s true.” A matter of smoke without fire? “All I can say is, it’s all hearsay,” he adds. The other film that he was supposed to have signed was producer Siddharth Jain’s project along with Rajat Barmecha of Udaan fame.

“I’m not doing it now as the dates were clashing with my other film,” he clears the air, and adds that he is quite excited about his upcoming project. “It’s the only film on my plate at the moment,” he says. And is he playing a young Haji Mastan in the film? “No, it’s a fictional character based on many real people. He’s not a run-of-the-mill kind of don, he’s quite a psychopath,” he reveals.

Naseerudin Shah too has a cameo in the film and Vivaan says he’s looking forward to sharing screen space with his father for the first time. “He plays Karim Lala and I have some scenes with him. I’m really looking forward to shooting with him,” says the actor.