Amitabh, Tendulkar in religious film

Vighnaharta Shri Siddhivinayak, a film based on real life experiences of the devotees of Lord Siddhivinayak, will have Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar playing pivotal roles.

The film is directed by debutant Yashwant Ingole, who assisted noted director Madhur Bhandarkar in his earlier films.

"Vighnaharta, which stars Parmeet Sethi and Divya Dutta, is not a religious or devotional film in the strict sense," Ingole says. "It is not based on any supersititions."

He has already shot one schedule of the film and the remaining portions will be done on July 31. The film has generated a lot of interest as both Bachchan and Tendulkar are ardent devotees of Siddhivinayak.

Bachchan, along with his family members, often walks barefoot to the temple from his residence in the western suburb of Juhu in Mumbai, to attend the early morning aarti on Tuesdays. Tendulkar also offers prayers to Lord Ganesha by paying a visit to the temple before crucial matches.

"The Siddhivinayak temple trust has registered more than 100 miracles experienced by the Lord's devotees. We have picked about six to seven for our script," Ingole said.

Moreover, Lord Ganpati is looked upon as symbol of love towards elders, especially parents. "It is known that Ganpati did a parikrama around his parents when asked to go around the universe. The film will give out a message that the lord is firmly behind those who look after their parents," he added.

The film is slated for an October release.