Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 5, 2018)

Anees Bazmee’s John Abraham-starrer Pagalpanti is all set to go on the floors by January-end. Ileana D’cruz has come on board as John Abraham’s leading lady. Anil Kapoor, along with Arshad Warsi, are also on board. It is being produced by Bhushan Kumar, Kumar Mangat and Abhishek Pathak.

“The film is an out-and-out comedy and will be shot in London and Leeds over a 50-day schedule early next year. Anil and Arshad’s characters will bring on the laughs while John and Ileana bring in the romance. A second lead heroine is yet to be cast,” informs a source close to the development. Anees who has been on a recce in the UK since the past few days, when contacted said he couldn’t comment as he was on his way back to India.

John has earlier worked with Anees in the 2015 action-comedy Welcome Back, also featuring Anil Kapoor. Ileana was seen in his last release, Mubarakan which also featured Anil, Athiya Shetty and Arjun Kapoor in a double role.

Arshad was to be part of Anees’s Aankhen 2 which is in a limbo.