Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan has reportedly walked out of JP Dutta’s multi-starrer Paltan. Confirming the news with The Indian Express, producer of the film, Nidhi Dutta, said that the actor had personal reasons for walking out of the project.
“Abhishek Bachchan is no longer a part of Paltan for personal reasons best known to him. It has come as a shock to us as this happened less than 24 hours before our unit left to shoot in Ladakh. But we also believe that especially in the movies we make, it’s the soldiers sitting up there that choose who will play them and recreate their lives on screen. Nevertheless, we wish him luck with his future endeavors.”
The makers will, however, continue filming with the rest of the cast, and will soon announce who’s replacing the actor. Much like most of JP Dutta’s films, Paltan focuses on the travails of the Indian army. “It’s time to tell a new story, to tell another part of history of our country and salute more real life heroes! I present Paltan. A film and a subject very close to my heart and I’m extremely excited about it,” he said when he first spoke about the film.
The film is scheduled for a summer 2018 release.
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Abhishek Bachchan, meanwhile, will be playing poet Sahir Ludhianvi in a biopic directed by debutant Jasmeet Reen. This is the third film in which Bachchan plays a real-life character, after Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se and Guru.
Ludhianvi was a prolific poet and lyricist responsible for songs such as Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahaan Hai (Pyaasa) and Woh Subah Kabhi Toh Aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi).
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is the producer. Work on the project is expected to begin soon.