Bikram Saluja to play Anil Ambani on screen

As is known by now, 42 Kms is a movie that depicts the life of five different people. Whie Mandira Bedi is a house wife, Sammir Dattani is a football player, Purab Kohli is a village boy and Prashant Chainani a college bunker. However, the most unusual story is that of Bikram Saluja who plays a business tycoon. And that's because Bikram's character in the movie is inspired by Anil Ambani.

Says a source attached to the film, "Yes, this is indeed true. We have modeled the character graph of Bikram in a manner similar to that of Mr. Anil Ambani. In the film Bikram Saluja is shown playing a business tycoon who has to face a challenge of getting fitter."

He goes on to narrate an anecdote in Bikram's life which is taken from the real life situation that Ambani faced a few years back when he was a little overweight. "In the film it is shown that foreign investors refuse to invest in his company as they feel the person with whom they are dealing with is not even capable of taking care of his own health. They are apprehensive that this may not really augur well with their collaboration with the company."

In an earlier interview Mr. Anil Ambani too had shared on a TV channel that such an incident had indeed happened in his life. This is what kick started his quest to loose weight for which he had started running for miles every day in order to prepare for the Boston marathon.

Bikram Saluja confirms the anecdote, "Yes, my storyline is similar to that of Anil Ambani. However, it is not an exact copy though it is certainly similar." Says Nisha Chainani, the film's director, "All the characters in the film are inspired by someone or the other. I had myself run the marathon and that"s what gave me an idea of making a movie about it. I have tried to bring in some of my own experiences in the film as well as that of the people I knew."

Since Bikram Saluja's character goes through a massive weight loss in the film, he has two distinct looks in the film that of a fat man and then a suave good looking business. Inspired by the Mumbai & Delhi marathon, 42 Kms will be releasing on January 23, 2009.