Sonu Sood to play Big B's son

Mumbai, Aug 5 (IANS) Watching Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan playing father and son on screen is nothing new. In a film that marks the return of Telugu super-director Puri Jagannath in Bollywood, Sonu Sood and not Junior Bachchan has been cast as Big B's son.

It was felt by the makers that Sonu bears an uncanny resemblance to the young Amitabh of the early 1970s.

'If you put Mr Bachchan's stills from 'Anand' and 'Pyar Ki Kahani' next to Sood's stills you'd think it's the same person,' says a source close to the project.

The project, earlier titled 'Bhudda: Don't F..K With Him', is now titled 'Bhudda: Panga Nahin Lene Ka'. Apparently, Ram Gopal Varma - the film's producer, was keen on the earlier title but the 'F' word didn't go down too well with Big B.

The project puts a lid on all speculation about RGV's apparently shaky relationship with the Bachchans. Moreover, RGV is also directing a film starring Abhishek Bachchan in January.

Except for the fact that the expletive from the title 'Bhudda: Don't F..K With Him' has now been deleted on Big B's suggestion, the ambitious project directed by Telugu cinema's top director Puri Jagannath has suffered no dent due to Big B's meagre dates.

Senior Bachchan had earlier decided to focus on his television commitments for 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' this year. But now, in what appears to be a swift change of plans Puri Jagannath's film will be shot from October onwards.

Speaking from Hyderabad, Puri said: 'Yes, I've cast Sonu Sood with Mr Bachchan. I've done two Telugu films with Sonu, he's a very talented actor but I can't talk about his role. Mr Bachchan's character requires two heroines, so does Sonu's. I'll be finalizing them shortly.'

On playing Big B's son in the film, Sonu said: 'It's a dream come true for me. I've waited for ten years to work with Bachchan Saab... It's an intense cop's role and the best part is that I got the role because everyone in the project says I look like Mr Bachchan of 'Zanjeer'. I remember it was Mani Ratnam who said it first. In 'Yuva', when Abhishek and I were working together as brothers, Mani Sir said I look more like Bachchan Saab than he did.'

Sonu Sood Pictures