On April 4, 2018, we confirmed you that Arjun Kapoor has come on board to play the titular role in the Hindi remake of last year's hit Telugu movie, Arjun Reddy starring Vijay Devarakanda. Murad Khetani and Ashwin Warde of Cine1 Studios who produced Arjun starrer Mubarakan last year, is adapting this critically acclaimed Telugu drama in Hindi.
Considering that the Vijay Deverakonda starrer was a huge hit down South, it wasn’t surprising that producers were making a beeline to purchase the rights of the film and many actors’ names were being floated around for the lead role. A few reports have been surfacing that the plump project has been passed over from Arjun and landed in Shahid Kapoor’s lap!
However, on Sunday, at the IIFA Press con, Shahid neither confirmed nor denied whether he is on board the remake but said that he would be excited if the project came to him. He was quoted as saying, “I'm very excited that it might come to me that it might happen. You will hear an official announcement if anything happens.”
Sandeep Reddy Vanga who made his Telugu directorial debut with Arjun Reddy will also be making his Hindi directorial debut with the remake. Murad Khetani and Ashwin Warde will be producing the film as they have purchased the rights of the original by paying a whopping amount of Rs 7 crore, as reported by a daily. The film is scheduled to go on the floors in July. While the locations are yet to be finalised, the plan is to shoot in India as well as abroad.
RECOMMENDED READ: WILL SHAHID KAPOOR DO A ROCKY AND PLAY A BOXER IN HIS NEXT FILM?
But as per sources, producer Ashwin Warde is yet to decide who will reprise the role of Vijay Deverakonda in the Hindi remake. As for now, Shahid and Arjun are the frontrunners for the role, but the team yet to take a final call!
The Telugu original was a stupendous hit, as the story claims to be a contemporary take on Devdas and revolves around a surgeon with anger management issues who turn to alcohol and drugs after the girl he is love with is forced to get married to someone else.
Shalini Pandey, who played the female lead in the original is speculated to reprise her role in the Hindi version as well since she is from a Hindi speaking belt and has no problems with the language.