After Arjun Kapoor replaces Ali Fazal in Bhoot Police, Yami Gautam, Jacqueline Fernandez signed on as leading ladies instead of Fatima Sana Shaikh; maker attributes cast change to evolving script
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; September 3, 2020)

Director Pavan Kirpalani can finally heave a sigh of relief. The filmmaker, who wanted to set the ball rolling on Bhoot Police early this year, can take the project on floors by the year-end. In the interim, however, the cast of the Saif Ali Khan-led horror comedy has undergone a change — after Arjun Kapoor stepped into Ali Fazal's shoes, mid-day has learnt that Jacqueline Fernandez and Yami Gautam have been brought on board.

Kripalani, who has previously dabbled in horror with Ragini MMS (2011) and Phobia (2016), is excited about giving a humorous touch to the paranormal. "This will be my first collaboration with the entire cast. We needed someone to add an element of craziness to this entertainer, and both of them will add magic to the script." Seconding him, producer Ramesh Taurani says, "From the beginning, we were keen on Jacqueline and Yami joining the team."

The laugh riot, which revolves around a pair of ghostbusters, was announced last year with Khan, Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh as the leads. Probe the director about the change in the cast, and he reasons it was the demand of the story. "The script has gone through several changes after Ramesh ji and Akshai [Puri, co-producer] got on board. Saif, Arjun, Jacqueline and Yami perfectly complement each other in the film," says Kirpalani.

The team has begun the groundwork on the horror comedy, which will be largely shot across Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Palampur. "We are consulting experts to plan safety measures for the team. We aim to wrap up 80 per cent of the film during the outdoor schedules. The remaining portions will be shot at a set in Mumbai," adds Taurani.