Mohanlal to do Priyadarshan's flick purely for personal reasons
PS: He doesn't want to act in Hindi films, otherwise

Mohanlal may have refused Vishal Bhardwaj's offer to be one of Priyanka Chopra's husbands in Saat Khoon Maaf, but he could not say no to Priyadarshan.

The South demigod is part of Priyan's thriller that stars Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Kangna Ranaut, Sameera Reddy and Kunal Kapoor.

Title undecided
The film rolls next month in London on a start-to-finish schedule. "I don't know why people are referring to the project as Bullet Train. I have yet to think of a title, " points out the director.

"It was solely due to my personal rapport with Mohanlal that he agreed to be part of the film, " says Priyan about his casting coup. "He does not want to act in Hindi films. I am aware that he had refused Vishal's project yet I was undeterred."

Seven years ago, the Malayalam cinema icon had acted in Priyan's films in the South. "I was keen to work with him again. He is super selective, yet he agreed to share space with Bollywood stars."

Mohanlal figures among India's top paid stars alongside Rajnikanth. Buzz was that the South superstar had cited a mind-boggling remuneration for Saat Khoon Maaf. But in Priyadarshan's case it was not money but his old association that mattered.

Adds Priyadarshan, "The superstar will be seen doing a cameo in the movie and his role will be crucial in the pace of the thriller."

In B-Town, Mohanlal was earlier seen in Company and Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag.