Its multiple casting changes kept Shuddhi in the news last year.

After Hrithik Roshan opted out and Kareena Kapoor moved on, the grapevine claimed that producer Karan Johar approached Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone for the film, but they were whisked away by Sanjay Leela Bhansali to play the lead in Bajirao Mastani.

KJo denied approaching the duo and soon after announced that Salman Khan had signed on to play the lead in Shuddhi.

Now, there's a strong buzz that he's approached Sanjay Dutt to play the antagonist and take on Salman. A source close to the development told Mirror, "Yes, Sanjay has been approached to play a significant role in the film, talks are on."

Playing a Khalnayak is not new to Sanjay Dutt. He's played the anti-hero many times over the last three decades. In fact, three years ago, he had agreed to play Kancha Cheena in Karan Johar's Agneepath remake even though he'd admitted to wondering how he could play someone so "chillingly evil". But Sanjay proved a suitably terrifying opponent to Hrithik Roshan in Karan Malhotra's directorial debut with his tattooed biceps, menacing laugh and bald pate.

He had actually tonsured his head for the role after the prosthetic make-up, which took three hours to put on and two hours to take off, began to melt in the hot Diu sun. And when he looked into the mirror for the first time, he too was shocked by the metamorphosis because he had never had a mundan as a child.

It remains to be seen what surprise Sanjay springs this time if he gets together with the two Karans again. Karan Malhotra is currently shooting Brothers, the desi Warrior, with Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra. Shuddhi will only roll towards the year-end or early next year and wil have a Diwali 2016 release.