Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj is looking forward to December when his yet-untitled next with Shahid Kapoor will go on floors. Sources tell us that Kapoor and leading lady Triptii Dimri have begun their prep for the action thriller that will apparently see the male lead portray a gangster modelled on Hussain Ustara, the don who had a fierce rivalry with Dawood Ibrahim.

A source reveals, “Shahid is undergoing intense combat training to match the demands of the action sequences. Equally important is understanding the mental make-up of a character like Ustara. Vishal sir, who is reuniting with the actor seven years after Rangoon [2017], has been guiding him as he delves deep into Ustara’s motivations, emotions, and mental battles. The gangster was a layered personality, defined by his ruthless exterior but driven by personal codes of loyalty and honour. Triptii, whose role hinges on revenge, has also begun her workshops. The two actors are prepping individually, and will kick off joint prep closer to the shoot.”

For years, Bhardwaj has been eager to bring Ustara’s life on celluloid. He had originally envisioned a biopic on Sapna Didi that would see the late Irrfan play Ustara to Deepika Padukone’s titular character. While that did not materialize, rumours earlier this year suggested that Kartik Aaryan was in talks with the director for the same subject. However, it looks like Bhardwaj has found his on-screen gangster in his Kaminey (2009) and Haider (2014) actor.