Amitabh Bachchan to play superstar in 'The Actor'

Mumbai, Feb 11 (IANS) Amitabh Bachchan is set to play a superstar named Ashmit Bhargava in Kushan Nandy's 'The Actor', which incorporates many incidents from the Big B's life, making it his most autobiographical film to date.

'Yes, I wrote 'The Actor' for Mr. Bachchan, along with two writer-friends Kiran Shyam Shroff and Ghalib Asad,' Kushan told IANS.

Confirming the news, Amitabh said: 'Yes, I'm doing a film for Pritish Nandy (Kushan's father). The details you'll have to get from him.'

The film is being produced by Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) and will go on floors in the next few months.

Nandy and Amitabh got together for director Sanjay Gupta's 'Kaante' in 2002, but after that there were reports of a rift created between them by a third party that didn't want the two to work together.

'I wouldn't like to go into the past, or comment on our relationship. Amitabh and I go back a long, long way. I've known him from long before the troublemakers were born. It was just a matter of the right vehicle for the amazing actor. When my son came up with 'The Actor', I knew this was it. I immediately approached Amitabh. We met several times and he agreed.'

The rest of the cast is now being finalised.

'But getting the principal part right was imperative,' said Nandy. 'I don't think anyone else could've played Ashmit Bhargava the way Kushan wrote the character. The protagonist has to be an icon who's about 55-60 years old, portraying what's according to the script the greatest actor playing the biggest role of his life.'

So are the identical initials of the superstar in 'The Actor' and the one playing the role more than a mere coincidence?

'I think so,' laughed Nandy. 'I think the initials for Amitabh Bachchan and Ashmit Bhargava say it all.'