by Subhash K Jha

"Where does an actor like me go?" Sanjay Suri can laugh about the snub he has received from filmmakers over the years, including Vikram Bhatt's Aakhir (now entitled Ankahee).

But now Sanjay is determined to make back lost ground. And the first person to say sorry in kind (if not in cash) is Vikram who'll be working with Sanjay in Harry Baweja's next, a multi-starrer featuring Urmila Matondkar, Zayed Khan, Sohail Khan, Minissha Lamba, Riya Sen and Ashish Chowdhary. The yet-untitled film takes off at the end of October.

"It's a good set-up and I'm looking forward to working with Vikram," says the ever-genial Sanjay.

"Of course I was hurt when I was asked to leave Aakhir in favour of Aftab Shivdasani. But I guess the producer and director know best. I've no hard feelings. And it isn't the first time this has happened to me."

Sanjay lost DeepaMehta's much talked-about Water. The director and actor met. And she liked him immensely for the role of the Gandhian hero.

"But I guess Deepa thought John Abraham suited the character better. I respect her judgement...just as I respect Rajiv Virani for opting for Manoj Bajpai over me in his debut film The Whisperers."

Sanjay was meant to co-star with Rahul Bose in Virani's debut film. But because the actor's dates clashed with Vikram Bhatt's Aakhir he thought it better if Virani looked for a substitute.

"As luck would have it now I've neither Vikram's nor Virani's films," Sanjay laughs loudly at the ironies of life and vagaries of showbiz.

"But I do have work which I'm proud of. After My Brother Nikhil no one is coming to me with garbage, that's for sure. I'm specially excited about my Nikhil director Onir's next film. It's a Hindi romantic comedy with Konkona Sen opposite me. Like Nikhil it's a film with lots of layers. I like doing that. "

Suniel Shetty's Popcorn Entertainment will produce the film.