Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 3, 2017)

Mirror has learnt that Irrfan Khan, the protagonist of Abhinay Deo’s upcoming black comedy tentatively-titled Blackmail, will now be joined by Ali Fazal as one of his aides.

“It’s a thriller that follows Irrfan and Co who are hot on the heels of the culprit in the story. Ali is presently busy shooting for Fukrey 2 and will start filming for Abhinay’s film in May,” informs a source close the development, adding that the 30-year-old actor will be seen in stylish formal wear and his floppy hair will be slicked down.

The makers are currently on the lookout for the female lead. Aditi Rao Hydari, it was earlier reported, was to play Irrfan’s wife, but isn’t a part of the film anymore. For now, Irrfan, who recently began shooting for Tanuja Chandra’s untitled travel love story in Bikaner, is excited about shooting in Rajasthan. “We have an amazing crew for this film... I’m sure we will make some amazing memories on this one,” he asserted.

Ali has almost wrapped up work on Stephen Frears’s Victoria and Abdul with Judi Dench who plays Queen Victoria in the British-American biographical drama. A few days of work will be shot in Agra in March.