Last week, Arbaaz Khan took his next production, Patna Shukla, on floors in Bhopal. While the subject of the social drama piqued his interest, it was the opportunity of collaborating with actor-friend Raveena Tandon that sealed the deal.

“We acted together in Soch [2002]. But we have known each other since her first film, Patthar Ke Phool [which was written by his father Salim Khan, and led by brother Salman Khan]. As a production house, we were waiting for an interesting project for a long time. I believe Raveena will take Patna Shukla to the next level,” says Arbaaz.

The film sees Chandan Roy Sanyal as a lawyer and Jatin Goswami as the antagonist, with Satish Kaushik and Manav Vij playing key roles. While rumours suggest that Tandon will be seen as a social crusader, the producer is in no mood to divulge details.

“I can’t elaborate much on the project right now, except that it’s a social drama about a common woman’s uncommon fight, about her grit and courage. As a production house, we believe in entertaining our audience. So, the film is written in such a manner [despite its serious theme].”

Many felt that Dabangg 4, featuring actor-brother Salman and to be helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, would be Arbaaz’s next production. However, there has been a change of plans. “Dabangg 4 is in the pipeline, but we have not decided the timeline as Salman and I have prior commitments. Patna Shukla was [written] during the lockdown, and was ready to go on floors immediately. So, at the moment, I’m concentrating on it,” says the actor-producer, who is seen in the latest release, Tanaav.