MUMBAI: Bollywood is excited that the patch-up between Shah Rukh Khan and Vishal Bhardwaj (after years!) has led to the possibility of a remake of Martin Scorsese’s super hit ‘The Departed’.
That SRK and Bhardwaj will do a film is certain, and if it is the official remake of Scorsese’s film, then the actor will most certainly do Di Caprio’s role which is that of a cop! The last time Shah Rukh played a cop was 10 years ago in the average action drama ‘One 2 Ka 4’ co-starring Jackie Shroff.
Apparently, both SRK and Bhardwaj are keen on a joint production and in the meeting that they last had, they were eager to remake ‘The Departed’. The consent and rights have to be obtained from the international production house.
For Matt Damon’s role in the Hollywood film, the two will have to sit down and think about which other big Bollywood star to cast.
However, at the time both SRK and Bhardwaj are busy with current projects, and this remake will not take off before 2011. The Bollywood Badshah is working on ‘Ra.One’ and ‘Don 2’, the former being his home production for which SRK will look into everything from marketing to promotions. He apparently has kept three months away from all other work for ‘Ra.One’. Actor SRK, meanwhile, is busy going through a grueling schedule in freezing Berlin for ‘Don 2’.
Thus, he has no time to sit with Bhardwaj and discuss their project. Bhardwaj has dedicated all his time for ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’ and his ambitious next film ‘Dream Sequence’ which is still going through casting issues. Hence, the project with SRK is also not on his mind. They will only meet early next year to have a fresh discussion on ‘The Departed’ remake.
In case, it is too difficult for them to work out this project given the rights that have to be obtained, they might discuss doing something else. But they will work together next year, that’s a guarantee.
Interestingly, the two other Khans – Aamir and Salman – are also playing cops in movies slated for 2011. While Salman will again play the lovable Robin Hood-ish Chulbul Pandey in the sequel to ‘Dabangg’, Aamir is playing the cop after 12 years in Reema Kagti’s film. He last played a police officer in the hit ‘Sarfarosh’.
