Over the past week, rumours were rife that Abhishek Bachchan is set to feature in the Hindi adaptation of Tamil thriller Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (2019). Now, it has come to light that the actor — who recently kicked off the shoot in Chennai — has so much faith in the material that he is not only headlining the remake, but also backing it under his banner.

Like cinephiles across the country, Bachchan was blown away by R Parthiban’s experimental movie, and immediately expressed his interest in taking it to Hindi film viewers. “The project is Abhishek’s baby. From flying down to Chennai to initiate talks, to setting up the production infrastructure, he has been thoroughly involved. Parthiban, who is helming the remake, will retain the gritty flavour of the original, but will tweak it to appeal to the pan-India audience,” says a trade source.

When it released, Oththa Seruppu Size 7 — written, directed and headlined by Parthiban — was widely praised for its solo-performance theme. The thriller, which follows the protagonist as he is interrogated by police officials in connection to a murder case, bagged two National Awards. Last year, the director was said to reimagine his story with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, but it didn’t materialise. Cut to present day: Bachchan and Parthiban are shooting at a brisk pace, intending to wrap it in a single schedule.

“Abhishek is sporting a distinct look. Cell phones aren’t allowed on the set as they want to keep details of the project under wraps.”

Bachchan and Parthiban remained unavailable for comment.