Acclaimed
filmmaker
Aashiq
Abu
on
Wednesday
confirmed
that
he
is
in
talks
with
superstar
Shah
Rukh
Khan
for
a
project
and
the
film
is
in
"early
stages" of
development.
Speculation
about
a
possible
collaboration
between
Khan
and
Abu
began
when
a
selfie
of
the
duo
went
viral
in
2019.
Abu,
the
director
behind
some
of
the
most
acclaimed
Malayalam
films
like
Mayanadi,
Virus
and
22
Female
Kottayam,
had
visited
Khan
in
Mumbai
along
with
his
frequent
collaborator
and
renowned
writer
Syam
Pushkaran.
Abu,
who
is
gearing
up
for
the
release
of
his
Malayalam
film
Naradan,
said
the
COVID-19
pandemic
has
pushed
ahead
the
schedules
of
all
the
parties
involved
with
the
project
featuring
Khan.
"Everyone
involved
with
the
project
is
excited
but
the
pandemic
has
shuffled
a
lot
of
things,
for
Mr
Khan
and
for
us
also.
The
idea
will
take
sometime
to
develop,
we
can't
just
come
(together)
and
do
a
film.
It
should
be
something
good," the
43-year-old
director
told
PTI
in
an
interaction
here.
Abu
said
Pushkaran
is
currently
working
on
the
film's
script
but
the
writer
is
also
busy
with
his
previous
commitments.
"We
are
working
on
the
same
idea
that
we
had
pitched
him
(Khan)
but
it
needs
sometime
to
develop
and
write
the
screenplay.
It
isn't
the
time
to
announce,
because
it
is
in
an
early
stage.
We
are
working
on
it
and
are
really
excited.
We
are
looking
forward
to
it," he
added.
Abu,
however,
said
it
is
too
early
to
reveal
any
more
details
about
the
project.
Khan
will
return
to
the
movies
after
over
four
years
with
Pathaan.
Production
banner
Yash
Raj
Films
on
Wednesday
announced
that
the
"high-octane
spy
thriller"
will
be
released
in
theatres
on
January
25,
2023.
Directed
by
Siddharth
Anand,
the
film
also
stars
Deepika
Padukone
and
John
Abraham.
Abu's
latest
release
Naradan
is
headlined
by
Minnal
Murali
star
Tovino
Thomas
and
Anna
Ben,
best
known
for
her
work
in
Kumbalangi
Nights
and
Kappela.
The
thriller,
produced
by
Santhosh
T
Kuruvilla,
Rima
Kallingal
and
Abu
and
written
by
Unni
R,
will
hit
the
theatres
on
March
3.