It was meant to be the re-union of director K C Bokadia with Amitabh Bachchan.
The two of them had worked together in the 1990 hit, Aaj Ka Arjun , and the director was looking forward to working with the superstar again in his new political drama Dirty Politics.
The film stars Malika Sherawat in a role inspired by the real-life nurse Bhanwari Devi, who was allegedly assassinated by powerful politicians in Rajasthan.
Bokadia hoped that the Big B was play an investigative journalist in the film but the latter was not keen.
Could it be due to the presence of the film's leading lady?
Says a source, “Bokadia wrote the role of an investigative reporter for Bachchan. It’s like an extended cameo but Mr Bachchan was not keen on doing the role.”
Bokadia has now signed Naseeruddin Shah for the part.
Says Bokadia, “I’ve worked with Bachchansaab . Now, I’ll be working the Naseersaab. I don’t think any filmmaker in our country would consider his career complete without working with these two actors.”
Shedding light on Naseer’s role, Bokadia says, “He plays a fearless journalist, who is the voice of the nation’s conscience. I wanted someone with an imposing voice. It had to be either Bachchansaab or Naseersaab.”
In the picture: Amitabh Bachchan. Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar
