Casting coup

For those who think filmmaker J P Dutta is licking his wounds after the debacle of his ambitious Umrao Jaan, there's news. Far from moping, he is ready with three big-budget projects.
For one of them, he wants to bring together the real-life husband, wife and son team of Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh and Ranbir Kapoor. Says JP, "I have an ideal script for them. It's a subject that needs this kind of blood-related casting. And the three of them would make a great team on screen. Let's not forget, my association with the Kapoors dates back a long way. I had once assisted Rishi's elder brother, Randhir and I still address him as 'Sir'. I also launched Randhir's daughter Kareena in Refugee. It would be a pleasure to direct Rishi's son Ranbir, now." Dutta has worked with Rishi Kapoor in his underrated gangster opus Hathyar. "He's a brilliant actor. I'd want to work with him any time," says JP. As for Neetu Singh, she has been away from the limelight for many years and has constantly refused film offers after marriage. So how does he plan to persuade her to do his film? "I don't think she'll say 'no' to me," JP says confidently.
Besides the Kapoor family project, JP also intends to make a film featuring Sikandar Kher. There's another project with a major male star in the lead that JP will make. "Which project I start first will depend entirely on my gut instinct and availability of actors' dates. I'll make up my mind once I return to Mumbai," says JP from London.