The buzz on Ramesh Taurani’s Race 3 gets hotter each day. Overnight comes the hint that Siddharth Malhotra is being considered for the action-thriller franchise’s third installment. If this rumour is true, then Sid’s stock must be high with Salman Khan who plays the lead in the film, because sources say it was the large-hearted Bhaijaan who suggested the young actor’s name to the producer.

Sid, who has suffered back-to-back flops in A Gentleman and Baar Baar Dekho, has apparently been approached for the part. He has not yet signed the film and trade sources are wondering what’s keeping him waiting. Is it the fact that he will be paired opposite Jacqueline Fernandez yet again and some people in Sid’s life may not be too happy about that?

No matter, Jacqueline’s character is supposed to be torn between Salman and whichever A-list young actor Taurani signs for Race 3. It could be Sid, it could be somebody else. Besides, Sid’s dates are in place. He finishes Neeraj Pandey’s crime drama Aiyaary by this month end and Race 3 rolls out in October. After Brothers with Akshay Kumar in 2015, where also he was paired with Jacqueline, this will only be Sid’s second big film with a Bollywood superstar.

Another interesting tidbit about the characterization of Race 3 is that Salman will definitely not play the baddie.

Bhaijaan never wants to send the wrong message out to his fans who copy his every mannerism. Taurani had reportedly approached Shah Rukh Khan first to play the negative role in Race 3. But SRK, who was busy with Fan and Raees then, declined the offer because he was playing enough bad guys in his forthcoming films already.

It’s a wait and watch game to see who gets on board the ensemble cast of Race 3 at this moment. Saif Ali Khan, who sources though was still in the running till last week, is definitely out of this race. Now the focus has shifted onto Siddharth Malhotra instead.