Ashish Vidyarthi lets go of Akshay Kumar starrer 'Rustam' to join the cast of Anil Kapoor's thriller TV series '24'

Shooting for the second season of espionage thriller '24' is currently underway and the intense schedule extends till March-end.

This year, the Anil Kapoor-starrer, which is based on an American series of the same name, will showcase a new set of antagonists; Ashish Vidyarthi has been roped in as the main villain.

The actor tells us that he let go of an Akshay Kumar film and a few South projects for the limited-episode show, which found much appreciation among the Indian audience last year. Vidyarthi will be seen as a drug lord, who is busted by Anti-Terrorist Unit chief Jai Rathod (Kapoor). "I am giving up quite a few things. I am always working in the South, but I have kept aside 60-odd days for '24'. I said no to Akshay's 'Rustam', which was coinciding with this schedule. The film required me to shoot for 20 to 22 days. I would have loved to take it up, but I had orally and mentally committed myself to 24."

Stunt coordinator Allan Amin, who has been associated with movies like 'Dhoom', 'Players' and 'Shamitabh', claims that he, too, is having a tough time packing film commitments along with '24' in his date diary.


"I have 'Dishoom' starring John Abraham and Varun Dhawan, the shoot of which is underway in Abu Dhabi. Then there's 'Jagga Jasoos' in Morocco with Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. The makers have been asking me for dates, but since I have been busy with '24', I couldn't commit myself to them. I am trying to negotiate a few days here to give time to the other films."