Emraan & Abhay head for SHANGAI!

What do Abhay Deol and Emraan Hashmi have in common?

On first thought, er, nothing?! But both actors, still young in their careers and with the ability to entrance the audience with their compelling performances (admittedly for different reasons!) have been signed on by a very keen Dibakar Banerjee for his upcoming flick.

Titled Shanghai, the political thriller is an adaptation of Greek novelist Vassilis Vassilikos's tale of a dynamic politician and the real-life assassination that took place.

Emraan Hashmi, possibly known more for his kissing skills than acting will be seen ditching the leather jackets and foreign locales in favour of a broken down scooter and dusty life in a small town hell hole surrounded by powerful politics.

Meanwhile critics favourite Abhay Deol challenges himself with a role unlike any he's portrayed before - the corporate hero in Aisha, the endearing thief of Oye Lucky Lucky Oye! and even the contemporarized drug-addled 'Devdas' of Dev D fall short as Abhay transforms in to a cold, powerful and undoubtedly negative character who represents the ruling class. If this Deol has symbolized unorthodoxy and gambles so far, Shanghai promises to take his 'off mainstream mantra' to a whole new level!

This may not be a film for the Yash Raj or Johar lovers, but for those hoping to catch a more gripping tale and some promisingly intelligent cinema, Shangai is not a film to miss!