Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 30, 2017)

While Ajay Devgn starred in the first two installments of Singham as Bajirao Singham, it’s Sunny Deol, who will reprise the role as the fiesty cop in the third film in the franchise. It’s the remake of South film Si3 or Singham 3 that starred Suriya, who was also part of the first two movies in the hit franchise.

Produced by Jayantilal Gada the film will be called S3. Sunny, who saw the South film was impressed and wanted to do it, says an insider. “But before signing the film, Sunny called Ajay and told him he is doing it. He also told Ajay he won’t use the name Singham anywhere. Ajay was cool with it.”

A full-on action film, Si3, is about a reputed cop trying to solve the mysterious murder of another policeman, and in the process, taking on thugs and criminals. While Rohit Shetty helmed Singham as well as its sequel, the third one, we hear, will mark the directorial debut of cinematographer K Ravi Chandran.

Ajay sported a handlebar moustache in Singham just like Suriya in the original did. Wonder if Sunny will follow suit.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2017)

After serving as cinematographer on Ghajini, My Name Is Khan and OK Jaanu, Ravi K Chandran is set to make his Hindi directorial debut with S3, a remake of the Suriya, Shruti Haasan and Anushka Shetty starrer, the Tamil neo-noir film by the same name. To be produced by Jayantilal Gada, it will feature Sunny Deol in the lead.

“When Sunny watched the original, he was impressed and immediately agreed to come on-board the Hindi remake. He will be playing a cop chasing a criminal gang and is set to start shooting by the year-end. Ravi is currently in the US working on the Hindi script and will start scouting for locations after the final script takes shape. Thakur Anoop Singh, who was the villain in the original, will be in the Hindi remake as well,” informs a source close to the development. Suriya played the uncompromising police chief Durai Singam in the original, who is up against a criminal operation dealing in deadly toxic waste.

Sunny, who has been busy directing his son Karan’s debut film Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, is set to start shooting for Yamla Pagla Deewana 3 with father Dharmendra, brother Bobby and actress Kajal Aggarwal. “Ravi has worked in both Hindi and South films. That makes him the best choice to direct the film. The hunt for the actress is on,” the source added.