/> Acclaimed Udaan actor Ronit Roy is all set to play the encounter cop Raja Tambat in Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala.

Ronit's joy at enacting a biographical role of a cop who thundered across Mumbai's underworld with his ‘encounter' killings, is compounded by the fact that the actor would be sharing screen-space with Anil Kapoor whom he knows closely from the time Ronit stayed with Subhash Ghai.

Says Ronit, "I've always wanted to work with Anil Bhaiyya. I know him from the time he was a regular visitor at Subhash Uncle's place. I stayed with Subhash Uncle as a permanent guest—he's a close friend of my father.

Anil Bhaiyya would drop in any time. His enthusiasm for cinema was relentless. And now to be working with him is an honour. On top of that I am a big fan of Sanjay Gupta's work. "

While Anil will play the senior cop Isaque Bhagwan, Ronit will play the junior cop Raja Tambat who was a havaldar at the time when the film's action unfolds.

Tambat is a near-legend in the Mumbai police force. He along with co-officer Isaque Bhagwan was the officer in-charge of gunning down gangster Manya Surve on January 11, 1982. For Tambat's role director Sanjay Gupta wanted an actor who's imposing in build strong assertive and yet not over-bearing.

"Ronit is perfect for the part, " says Gupta who has worked a number of times with Ronit's brother Rohit. "In fact Rohit has also directed a film Rice Plate for me. I wanted to work with Ronit for a very long time.

Getting him to play Raja Tambat was a decision that I took after long consideration. The other cop had already been cast. With Anil Kapoor playing Isaque Bhagwan I needed an equally competent actor to play the other cop. "

Ronit has already started researching rigorously on his character. According to Gupta, Ronit wouldn't play the real-life cop as just a khaki-clad stereotype. Ronit wants to get into Tambat's mind-space before playing the role.

He also wants to spend time before shooting with Anil Kapoor, so that the two look like cops who are comfortable doing what they are doing.

Says Gupta, "Encounter killing is not an easy job. I want Anil and Ronit to look convincing in what they're doing. I loved the way Ronit walked the thin line of morality in Udaan while playing the domineering father. "