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Neil, Vikram, Tabu: Meet The Players of David
Not every film needs to be headlined by a Khan or Kapoor to sound big. Bejoy Nambiar's David has piqued everyone's curiosity with its edgy trailer and a genuine ensemble cast.
Made in both Hindi and Tamil, David explores three lives sharing a name and an inexplicable connection through three segments set in London (1975), Mumbai (1999) and Goa (2010) featuring actors as varied as Vikram, Tabu, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Monica Dogra and Prahlad Kakkar.
Here's a look at the who's who in David, which hits the screens on February 1.
Vikram
He made his Hindi film debut as a determined cop and Aishwarya Rai's chauvinist half in Mani Ratnam's Raavan.
Tamil actor Vikram will next demonstrate his dazzling intensity to portray a fisherman in a coastal village of Goa who falls for a deaf and mute girl engaged to marry his closest pal.
Neil Nitin Mukesh
Ensemble films are not new to Neil Nitin Mukesh, who played Priyanka Chopra's first husband in Vishal Bhardwaj's disappointing 7 Khoon Maaf.
In and as David, the Johnny Gaddar star plays a gangster working for mafia operating from London. As an aside, Vivek Oberoi and Farhan Akhtar were originally considered for the part.
Vinay Virmani
The Canadian actor's hockey drama Breakaway, dubbed as Speedy Singhs in Hindi, produced by Akshay Kumar failed to make any impact. But Nambiar seems to think otherwise and has cast him as one of the leading Davids.
The young man essays a Catholic guitarist and music tutor who encounters the ugly face of religious fanaticism in late 1990s Mumbai.
Tabu
Though it's not a big part, Tabu's character is the most guarded secret about David.
Other than revealing her to be 'quirky,' director Nambiar refuses to divulge details on the Life of Pi actress as it would give away the entire story.
Lara Dutta
Speaking of cameos, Lara Dutta is in one too.
The actress had turned a new mom when she began to shoot for the film. She plays a mom in David as well.
Only here, her kid is old enough to be tutored by Vinay Virmani's character.
Shweta Pandit and Sheetal Menon
The aforementioned segment also includes Shaitan's Sheetal Menon (not in the picture) alongside singer Shweta Pandit.
The latter, who previously worked with Nambiar on a music video, makes her acting debut as Alice, the sprightly daughter of a poor priest (played by Southern cinema heavyweight Nassar).
Isha Sharvani
Looks like this could be Isha's most exciting assignment since Dimple Kapadia's softheaded, spoilt star daughter in Luck By Chance.
As the hearing and speech impaired Roma, the ethereal and innocent Isha becomes the bone of contention between her beau Peter (played by Malayalam film actor Nishan) and Vikram's David.
Monica Dogra
The Shaa'ir singer and actress of Kiran Rao's Dhobi Ghat continues to woo the silver screen with her charisma.
This time as Neil Nitin Mukesh's love interest in David.
Milind Soman
Exceptionally long-lasting good looks notwithstanding, Milind Soman has never quite fired the screen with his acting.
Maybe that's why Nambiar decided to give him a dialogue-free part of a staunch Muslim devout featuring in the London story arc of David.
Rohini Hattangadi
Rumored to be based on a real-life politician and fundamentalist who practices religion-based politics, Rohini Hattangadi is expected to continue the recent surge of devious lady ministers played on screen following Supriya Pathak in Shanghai and Shabana Azmi in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola.
Sarika
Now here's a 50-year-old giving Bollywood's pretty young things a run for their money.
Sarika, who was last seen as Shah Rukh Khan's doctor in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, gets back to her glossy and glamorous origins for David's most talked-about item song, Dama dam mast kalander.
Prahlad Kakkar, Manish Jha and Akarsh Khurana
Not just content with professional actors, Nambiar makes some random but (presumably) appropriate casting choices with ad-filmmaker Prahlad Kakkad pitching in a small role of a priest while filmmaker Manish Jha (Matrubhoomi) is expected to play a part tailor-made for him, a la Tigmanshu Dhulia in Gangs of Wasseypur, perhaps?
The unconventional picks don't stop her. Writer Akarsh Khurana (Krrish, Kites) is also on board to play a crucial role in one of the sub-plots of this increasingly fascinating project.