Heard this: Fall-out between Akshay Kumar and Neeraj Pandey?

Neeraj Pandey’s Aiyaary is up for release this Friday. And even as he awaits that, the National Award-winning filmmaker tells us that he already has a few scripts in mind. “I have thought of some stories, but I’m not sure which one will be the immediate next.” A source informs, “Neeraj is planning to start work on the Special 26 sequel. The film was critically-acclaimed and it had also got its due at the box office.”

TITLES REGISTERED

His team has registered several titles for their movie with The Film and Television Producers Guild Of India. An insider reveals, “The titles that Neeraj’s Friday Filmworks have registered are Special 2019, Special 2020, Special 2021 and Special 2022. The team has chosen these titles, because they still don’t know which year the film will release. They will pick one of them, depending on their release date.” When asked about it, Neeraj smiles and confirms, “Yes, we have registered a few titles. Let’s see when work starts. Like I mentioned, I still haven’t decided which film I’ll do next. But the titles are such that it could be in that year.”

WILL AKSHAY DO IT?

While Akshay Kumar is synonymous with meaningful cinema and social dramas today, Special 26 was one of his earliest ‘sensible’ films that won him rave reviews. Now that the sequel is in the offing, will Akshay return as the central protagonist? Neeraj responds, “I won’t be able to comment on that. I don’t have any clue about it.”

NO PROBLEMS THERE

The grapevine has been abuzz with stories of a fall-out between Neeraj and Akshay. The filmmaker and the actor have given some memorable hits — Special 26, Baby, Naam Shabana, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (Neeraj is credited as producer) together. However, the proposed clash between Pad Man and Aiyaary (now they are releasing one week apart) further fuelled the speculations. But Neeraj dismisses the stories, “I don’t react and I don’t think too much about it. I just thank everyone for their concern, but there are no problems at all. Life is too small for these things. Both the movies will come and go. Aisa koi toofan nahin aa raha. Our lives will continue.”

CRACK ON BACKBURNER

Meanwhile, the movie that he had already announced with Akki in the lead (soon after Rustom released) — Crack — has been indefinitely pushed. “Yes, I couldn’t crack the idea and it seemed like it was going nowhere. So it’s on the back burner for now.” Will he revisit the film again, we ask. “Not yet, but let’s see. If I can prepare the idea well someday, I might,” Neeraj signs off.