Irrfan Khan was supposed to play Sardar Udham, thought of shelving the film without him: Shoojit Sircar

Shoojit Sircar, who is currently promoting his upcoming film I Want To Talk, recently revealed that his critically acclaimed film Sardar Udham was originally planned with Irrfan Khan. Shoojit shared that after Irrfan’s illness, he decided to shelve the project but Irrfan encouraged him to make the film anyway, and he went on to cast Vicky Kaushal in the lead role. He shared that even for his upcoming film, he had originally thought of Irrfan Khan to play the lead role.

He shared on Cyrus Says, “Irrfan was supposed to play the lead in Sardar Udham but it was unfortunate. Then I asked him… And at one point, I decided to shelve the project also. I said I would not do it and then I went spoke to to Irrfan. I asked him ‘Irrfan…’. He said ‘Dada, please don’t. You must do this film, this is your baby’. And that’s how Vicky Kaushal happened and I went ahead. Of course, I missed Irrfan.

He then spoke about I Want To Talk, starring Abhishek Bachchan and said, “Even for this one it was supposed to be Irrfan but Abhishek also came quite close to that. Very satisfied with his performance.” He added, “All my films in my head, it is all Irrfan. So Vicky came a little closer to that so he did it, he did a fine job in Sardar Udham.”

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Shoojit and Irrfan worked together in Piku and the director said that he still misses the actor who passed away after a long illness in 2020. “Irrfan was a dear friend. Irrfan is like a… I find there is a huge vacuum.” Shoojit said that he is making a film with Irrfan’s son Babil and said, “I cast his son for a film and it is still in the process. He is doing a film with us.” Babil is working with Shoojit in a film titled The Umesh Chronicles, which also has a cameo by Amitabh Bachchan.