Over a year or so ago, director Aditya Bhattacharya, whose "Dubai Return" premieres at the 36th IFFI on Dec 3, was all set to start a film "Avtaar" with Lucky Ali. It ran aground at the last minute as the production company wound up its business without warning.

Bhattacharya has nursed the script with care all these months and is now ready to give the project another shot. Will he cast Lucky Ali again? "No," is his firm reply. "I don't think he will suit the part anymore."

He reveals that he has Ali Azmat of the Pakistani fusion band Junoon in his mind for the title role.

Well, even if Lucky doesn't get the role back, he should have no regrets. It was after he was signed for "Avtaar" that he got two acting assignments - the music guru in the Pooja Bhatt production, "Sur - Melody of Love", and as one of the cranky gangsters in Sanjay Gupta's "Kaante".