Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is gearing up for the release of his new film Nishaanchi, starring Viineet Kumar Singh and introducing Aaishvary Thackeray. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on September 19.
In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, Kashyap shared that the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput was his first choice for Nishaanchi. He revealed that the project was initially announced with Sushant back in 2016. However, after the actor signed two big projects with Dharma Productions — Dil Bechara and Drive — communication between them ceased.
“This was the film I wanted to make with Sushant. But after he got two major films — Dil Bechara and Drive — which were both with Dharma, he stopped responding. So, I moved on from the project,” Kashyap said.
He also recalled that Sushant had earlier walked out of Hasee Toh Phasee, a film produced by Kashyap’s production house. According to him, Sushant chose to sign Shuddh Desi Romance with Yash Raj Films instead, as he was seeking validation from big banners like YRF and Dharma. Kashyap clarified that he never held any grudge over the actor’s decisions.
Over the years, many actors expressed interest in Nishaanchi, but Kashyap said none of them felt like the right fit until now. He approached Sushant with the script before the release of MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, but after the film’s massive success, Sushant never followed up.
Tragically, Sushant passed away on June 14, 2020, at the age of 34. While his death was initially reported as suicide, it sparked nationwide controversy and allegations of foul play. Nearly five years later, the CBI recently closed the case, citing a lack of evidence to support those claims.
