It's official. The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees, which was announced nearly two years ago and slated to go on floors last November, will finally roll by this month-end.
Ritesh Sidhwani, who is producing the film, says, "The shoot will commence from March 28 in Mumbai. We plan to release it on Eid next year."
Raees, to be helmed by Rahul Dholakia, was marketed as SRK and Farhan Akhtar's first big screen outing together. However, exactly a year ago, Farhan opted out of the project as his dates clashed with Bejoy Nambiar's Wazir which was to start by late 2014. He was replaced by Nawazuddin Siddiqui three months ago.
Dholakia plans to shoot in old Ahmedabad and Saurashtra, as the real life-inspired film is set in Gujarat. SRK plays a bootlegger while Nawaz will be seen as a cop.
Sidhwani, however, says the major schedule of the film will take off only in September. Reason? Shah Rukh apparently intends to first wrap up Rohit Shetty's Dilwale, which is more or less ready.
Industry insiders suggest that the star intends to release the film this Christmas. If that happens, it will clash with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani - a repeat of 2007, when SRK's Om Shanti Om had a box office collision with SLB's Saawariya.
