Vidyut Jamwal to play Irrfan Khan's junior version in Bichde Sabhi Baari Baari

Not so long ago Vidyut Jamwal had stepped in to play a role ear-marked for Irrfan Khan in Bullett Raja. Now director Tigmanshu Dhulia will cast them together in the same film. But Irrfan and Vidyut wouldn’t be seen together in the same frame as they will be cast as the younger and older versions of the same character. Explains Tigmanshu, “My next film is Bichde Sabhi Baari Baari. It’s the story of two friends and their relationship over a period of 35 years. Manoj Bajpai and Irrfan Khan have been cast as the older avatars of the buddies whereas Amit Sadh and Vidyut Jamwal would play the younger versions of the same characters.” But surely Manoj and Irrfan are accomplished enough as actors to pull off the age span? Tigmanshu avers, “I don’t think so. Irrfan and Manoj can’t look 25. That’s the age when the two protagonists become friends. I can’t have Irrfan and Manoj playing 25-year olds. Woh zamana kuch aur ttha jab Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz college students play karte they. Today’s audience won’t accept Irrfan or Manoj as 25-year olds, just as they won’t accept Vidyut and Amit Sadh as a 50-year old or a 60-year old. So I need two sets of actors.” Vidyut and Amit would now have to spend some time with Irrfan and Manoj to get a hang of their body language. Interestingly one of the reasons why Sudhir Mishra’s Pehle Aap Janaab is stuck is the inability to find actors to play younger versions of the Big B Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor. The latest move on that front is to get Abhishek Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor to step in to play younger versions of their fathers in Mishra’s film.