Warsi, nixed from Jolly LLB 2, to release film with Ishqiya co-star Naseer on the same day as the sequel
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; January 5, 2017)

Looks like Arshad Warsi is not yet over losing Jolly LLB 2 to superstar Akshay Kumar. In what seems to be a counterstroke, the actor will arrive in theatres on the same day as Akki — February 10 — with his new film Irada, which reunites him with Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya co-star, Naseeruddin Shah.

Directed by debutante Aparna Singh, Irada deals with social causes. It has been shot in Chandigarh. Says producer Falguni Sheth, “Our film is ready and we are looking at an early release. We were eyeing a window next month and February 10 appears ideal.”

Since Raees and Kaabil will battle it out in the Republic Day weekend and are expected to have a good run for a fortnight or so, Irada makers feel it won’t be a sound business proposition to release the film in the first week of February. Later that month would also not be wise as Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon with a star-studded cast (Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor) hits the marquee.

When Jolly LLB 2 was announced last year, Arshad had reportedly said, “I was supposed to do it, but the
studio needed a bigger star. If you have a bigger star, then even if the film is not that good, you still manage to recover the money, so the risk factor from the producer’s point of view is less. It bothers me a bit, but not that much. I was the one who convinced Subhash (Kapoor, director) to go ahead and do it [cast Akshay] since he was not willing to.”

Commenting on stepping into Jolly’s shoes, Akshay had said, “It is the producer’s call. I did Welcome (2007), but not Welcome Back (2015); I did not feel bad. It was my franchise, so should I feel bad?”

Ask Falguni about the clash between ex-Jolly and new Jolly, and she says, “That will be interesting, but we are weighing all options, not that too many are available.”