Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; December 21, 2015)

Shooting for the second season of espionage thriller 24 is currently underway and the intense schedule extends till March-end. This year, the Anil Kapoor-starrer, which is based on an American series of the same name, will showcase a new set of antagonists; Ashish Vidyarthi has been roped in as the main villain.

The actor tells us that he let go of an Akshay Kumar film and a few South projects for the limited episode show, which found much appreciation among the Indian audience last year. Vidyarthi will be seen as a drug lord, who is busted by Anti-Terrorist Unit chief Jai Rathod ( Kapoor). “I am giving up quite a few things. I am always working in the South, but I have kept aside 60-odd days for 24. I said no to Akshay’s Rustom, which was coinciding with this schedule. The film required me to shoot for 20 to 22 days. I would have loved to take it up, but I had orally and mentally committed myself to 24.”