Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 22, 2017)

Jackky Bhagnani, who after featuring in the 2015 comedy Welcome 2 Karachi, turned producer with the Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Randeep Hooda-starrer Sarbjit, is now set for a stage debut with a play titled Riddles, also featuring Prateik Babbar. An adaptation of LB Hamilton’s A Midnight Clear, it is written and directed by Jeff Goldberg and centres around homosexuality.

“Prateik plays a wealthy man who owns an IPL team while Jackky’s character is a cricketer. The duo meets, falls in love and subsequently breaks up. When Prateik’s character meets with an accident, Jackky comes to his rescue, rekindling the romance,” Jeff told Mirror, adding that Jackky replaced Suhail Sidhwani who had essayed the part earlier. “As an actor, Jackky understands the challenge of the stage. Directing him has been a pleasure.”

Jeff is equally happy with his other protagonist. “Prateik is a consummate professional and a team player. He has put his heart and soul into the character and reinvented himself for the part,” the director signs off.