Soham, Srabanti back!

The ���������Amanush��������� couple is back. And this time around, Soham-Srabanti will feature in Soumik Chattopadhyay���������s as-yet-untitled directorial debut. But Srabanti���������s inclusion was all thanks to a slight twist in the casting tale.
Initially, Shweta Basu Prasad had been roped in to play the lead opposite Soham. But she is no longer part of the cast.The director cites the reasons why Shweta was not on the final list. ���������It is unfortunate that we had to look for other options because of date issues. Shweta had already signed a Tamil film during that point in time. This film required her dates in December when we would be shooting in Hyderabad. But we were
having problems adjusting the dates for 10 to 15 days of this leg of the shoot,��������� says Soumik.
As to why he settled for Srabanti, the film-maker adds, ���������Firstly, Srabanti and Soham make for a great pair. Also, the actor has an innocence to her which was required for the character.���������
Ask Srabanti whether she is aware of having replaced Shweta and the actor, who is currently busy shooting for Ravi Kinagi���������s ���������Fighter���������, says, ���������Yes, I know Shweta was supposed to play the lead. But when I heard the script and my role from Soumikda, I pounced on the offer. I���������ll be joining the team from November 26.��������� Shweta, on her part, was looking forward to making her Tollywood debut with this film. The actor says, ���������No, there were no date problems. I had signed Soumikda���������s film in September. Around the same time, I had also bagged a Tamil film. Both wanted October and November dates.
As I had come on board for Soumikda���������s film first, I gave them the required dates and kept December dates for the Tamil film.��������� But the first leg of shooting was planned from end-November. ���������The production house wanted December dates for the Hyderabad leg of the shoot. But the dates were kept fuzzy. In the mean time, my Tamil producer kept asking my dates for the South project.
I asked my manager to enquire about the December dates for Soumikda���������s project so that I could give the Tamil film a clean 15-day schedule. However, on November 23, the line producer of Soumikda���������s film called me up saying the project is on but without me,��������� she clarifies adding, ���������The reason given was the director is new, so the creative department has decided to take an established heroine and not a newcomer. I was also said to have date issues. But whatever be the reason, I wish the team all the best.���������
Shrikant Mohta, one of the producer of the film, clarifies, ���������We would have loved to have Shweta on board. But the dates kept reshuffling and we could not accommodate Shweta���������s dates. This is why we had to settle for Srabanti.���������
Soumik, however, has already started shooting this film, which is a comedy. Soham vouches for the great time he had on the first day of shoot, ���������After two serious back-to-back character roles, it���������s a welcome relief to essay a comic character like Raju. The cycle plays an important part in his life.��������� Interestingly, this is an animated cycle, which keeps talking to Raju, but he fails to understand its language.
Talking about the first day���������s sequence, Soumik explains, ���������Raju is leaving the city and moving to his village. He has to park the cycle at a place which charges `20 per day. Raju does not have the means to pay this amount and hence, decides to donate it to a relief fund.���������
���������Animation, graphics and chroma will be widely used in this film. In fact, the entire film is shot on location in Kolkata, Bolpur, Purulia and Hyderabad and has only two indoor sequences. I have kept my fingers crossed that I can stick to the time schedule because I need the daylight for my shoot,��������� says the director. Amen!
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