After a social-drama, actor will be reuniting with Shree Narayan Singh for a film that is to take off next year
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 3, 2018)

While Shahid Kapoor and Shree Narayan Singh are working towards the wrap-up of their social-drama, Batti Gul Meter Chalu, in Mumbai with Shraddha Kapoor and Yami Gautam, Mirror has learnt that the actor-filmmaker duo is already up for another collaboration.

A source close to the development reveals that Shree Narayan recently narrated the new script to Shahid and the actor was instantly impressed. “The project will go on the floors sometime next year after Shahid wraps up the shoot of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Arjun Reddy remake and Raja Krishna Menon’s sports film where he plays a boxer. Shree Narayan’s film is a thriller set in Uttar Pradesh and the details of the shoot are currently under works,” the source added.

Shree Narayan confirmed the news, saying the new film is currently in the scripting stage. “The story is based in the heartland of India. Once the script is ready we will decide when to go on the floors but it will be in 2019 as Shahid has to fulfill all prior commitments as well before starting my film. I can promise that it’s a story no one has attempted before and we are planning it in great detail. Shahid and I are friends now and share a certain comfort level and we luckily found the perfect script,” the filmmaker informs, adding that his team is also on the lookout for a leading lady to be cast opposite Shahid.

Speaking about the shoot of Batti Gul Meter Chalu, which had earlier run into trouble over payment issues with producer Prernaa Arora but was back on track with Bhushan Kumar taking over, Shree Narayan reveals, “We only have six–seven days of shoot left before we can call it a day. The film has turned out well and perfectly in-sync with our vision.”

Batti Gul Meter Chalu, Shree Narayan’s follow up to the Akshay Kumar-starrer social-drama Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, sees Shahid as a lawyer from a small town who fights against power cuts and outrageously high electricity bills with Shraddha as his ladylove and Yami as another lawyer. The film has been shot in Uttarakhand and Mumbai.