Anil Kapoor steps into Aamir's role

After Phata Poster Nikla Hero, director Raj Kumar Santoshi is moving into a historical space for the second time in his career. Earlier he made the ill-fated The Legend Of Bhagat Singh (2002). Santoshi had at one time planned the project with Sanjay Dutt, then he was keen to rope in Aamir Khan for the project. But that didn’t work out either. Now it is Anil Kapoor who is stepping into the role.

Confides the director, “It’s my long-cherished dream to do an adaptation of Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhiya Woh Jamiya Nahin about the price that people had to pay for the Partition.” Anil is sporting enough to admit the role was offered to Aamir Khan first. “Raj Santoshi told me very frankly that I’d get the role only if Aamir said no.

Luckily for me Aamir asked him to wait. So Raj decided to make it with me. I guess, I am blessed.”

He is looking forward to the experience of recreating the era and aura of the Partition. “I haven’t done this genre before. At this juncture of my career I seek new acting experiences. That I am able to get them is not short of a miracle,” he says.