Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 17, 2014)

Ok so everyone knows by now that Ranbir Kapoor is making a special appearance in the Nitesh Tewari directed horror comedy Bhootnath Returns, which also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Anurag Kashyap and National Award-winning actress Usha Jadhav. But what has been kept strictly under wraps is that Ranbir Kapoor will be playing a movie star in the film.

 Bhushan Kumar, who is coproducing the film with Abhay Chopra, confirmed the news saying, “Yes, that’s true. Ranbir will be playing himself.”

Reportedly, it was RK’s close proximity with the Chopras that led him to agree to make a guest appearance in the sequel to the 2008 film Bhootnath, produced by Abhay’s father Ravi Chopra. “Ranbir has known Abhay since they were in school together,” says a source close to the family, pointing out that Ranbir also did the popular item number, Tai Tai phiss, for Nitesh’s earlier film Chillar Party.

Ranbir has already shot his portions and, according to the source, they have turned out “delightfully well”. He enters the film at a crucial stage and is significant to the plot.

 Shah Rukh Khan, who is also doing a cameo, will start shooting for the film in the first week of March. The superstar, who played Juhi Chawla’s husband in the first film, will reprise his role as Aditya Sharma.

 Aman Siddiqui who played his son in Part 1 has been replaced by another child whose identity is being kept under wraps.

“Shah Rukh’s story will be a continuation from where we left it six years ago,” says Bhushan.