Anirban Das (MID-DAY; March 15, 2016)

Aarya Babbar was all set to shoot for director Aryeman Ramsay’s upcoming film, Yeh Kaisa Khiladi in which he was to essay the role of a police officer. However, the actor is no longer a part of the project. Reason? He refused to shave his beard.

“He was supposed to get rid of his beard for the film as he was playing a cop. Suddenly, I am told that he is not ready to do so because it will hamper his character Raavan’s continuity on the TV show, Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanuman. We had no option but to drop him. I am trying to find a replacement now,” informs Aryeman.

With the actor being dropped at the last minute, the shoot of the film has been delayed. “He was supposed to start shooting on March 12 and I was informed about his refusal to shave off his beard around March 9 or 10,” adds the director.

However, Babbar has a different story to narrate. The actor insists that he wasn’t ousted from the project but left it. He says, “The makers never gave it to me in writing that I will have to shave my beard. I was informed just a week before we were to start shooting. I think an actor is chosen because of his acting ability and not because of his facial hair. Raavan is a hit character; I would not trim a beard for a film whose future is uncertain”.

The actor further claims that the makers have not signed a contract with him. “There is no legal document which states that Aarya Babbar is doing the film. Yes, they had given me a signing amount but the day it became clear that I wouldn’t do the project, I was man enough to return the money.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2016)

After his turn as the bumbling Pappiji in the Tanu Weds Manu films, Deepak Dobriyal is set to play an Akshay Kumar fan in Aryeman Ramsay's next, Yeh Kaisa Khiladi. While the film's team is in talks with Akki for a special song, Deepak starts shooting for the film's first schedule in Agra soon. "My character imitates Akshay and is a Khiladi in his own way. It's going to be challenging but I'm glad to be part of it," says the actor.

Will he be doing action sequences like his screen idol? "A Khiladi film is incomplete without stunts. I will begin training with an action expert soon," Deepak reveals, adding that he loved the first Khiladi, which featured Akki alongside Ayesha Jhulka, International Khiladi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Quiz him about his leading lady and he says, "We're still in talks but model-actress Bidita Bag is most likely to be roped in for the role."

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 7, 2015)

Unlike Indian horror movie fans, Aryeman Ramsay doesn't identify with his family's filmi legacy. Instead, he recalls growing up on a steady diet of Akshay Kumar's Khiladi films, beginning with the 1995 superhit Sabse Bada Khiladi, which his father, the late filmmaker Keshu Ramsay, had produced.

So it comes as no surprise that the 35-year-old actor-director is currently writing an action-thriller. The film follows two men who become millionaires overnight. "Part of the story is drawn from a real life incident that took place in the US where two men gambled, got rich and proved that they did it legally to escape the law," Aryeman reveals.

Ramsay Jr, who made his acting debut in Rajkumar Santoshi's 2006 drama Family that also featured Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a blink-and-you-miss appearance, confesses that he tried his hand at acting for six years, featuring in a string of box office duds like Riyasat, Good Luck, and Tom Dick and Harry Rock Again. "It didn't work out. I've realised that I should stick to making films, like my father, uncles and grandfather did before me," he reflects.

Now, he has roped in his Family co-star Nawaz for his new film. "He may be a star today but he is a down-to-earth guy. Isn't he perfect for playing a small town character who comes into a lot of money and dupes cops?" he laughs, adding that Kay Kay Menon plays the other protagonist in it.

Nawaz is currently filming Anurag Kashyap's upcoming thriller in Mumbai, in which he plays a character inspired from serial killer Raman Raghav, while Kay Kay Menon begins shooting for Remo D'Souza's superhero film A Flying Jatt this month.

The two start work on Aryeman's film this December in the city. Aryeman is currently looking for two leading ladies for his film.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 10, 2014)

Sequels continue to be the flavour of the season. And now Aryeman Ramsay, son of the late Keshu Ramsay is all set to roll out the second part of his father’s 2004 hit film Khakee. Thirty-three-year old Aryeman, who debuted as an actor with his homeproduction Family - Ties of Blood (2006), co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, will co-produce the sequel with Rahul Sugandh, son of Hari Sugandh. Confirming the development, Aryeman told Mirror, “I had been thinking of producing a film for a while now. And what better than a follow-up to my dad’s Khakee?”

Khakee starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Tusshar Kapoor, revolved around an Indian police team’s mission to transfer a Pakistani spy from a remote town in Maharashtra to a Mumbai jail. The film was later remade in Telugu as Satyameva Jeyathe.

Rajkumar Santoshi had directed the original and Aryeman is in talks with him for the sequel too. “Santoshi sir did a marvellous job with the original,” he says. Reportedly Santoshi is considering the offer.

Aryeman will be talking to Bachchan who played DCP Anant Kumar Shrivastav, and Tusshar who enacted the role of Sub-Inspector Ashwin Gupte, for his film. “Akshay, Ajay and Aishwarya died in the first part so they cannot be a part of the sequel,” he reasons.

The film will go on floors early next year.