Mubaraka cast finally locked in

Anees Bazmee has zeroed in on his cast for Mubaraka, that goes on floors this November—it will include Arjun Kapoor (playing a double role), Ileana D’cruz, Athiya Shetty, Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh.

“The two leading ladies are cast opposite the two characters that Arjun will play,” says Anees. Buzz was that Sonakshi Sinha too was approached for one of these roles, but the actress turned it down possibly because she didn’t want to share the screen with Arjun. Anees doesn’t dismiss it as just another tidbit of media gossip. “We did approach Sonakshi, but she didn’t take it up for whatever reasons she might have,” he said.

Moving on to those who did take up his offer he says, “Anil plays a sardarji. We’re working on his looks and his accent.” Anil and Amrita Singh—the jodi from popular comedy film Chameli Ki Shaadi—will make an appearance together after decades.

“It’s good to work with artistes of Anil Kapoor and Amritaji’s calibre. I’m working for the first time. I promise you, the pair will be a riot.”

This is the first time that Anees is working on a script that he hasn’t written himself. “But that doesn’t mean I am blindly shooting what’s given to me. I’ve worked on the script for a good two and a half months to ensure it is watertight and gripping,” he says.