Ranbir, Imran auditioned for The Reluctant Fundamentalist
News
oi-Staff
By Super
Ranbir
Kapoor
quietly
did
a
2-hour
audition
for
Mira
Nair's
The
Reluctant
Fundamentalist.
This
is
the
first
time
since
Saawariya
that
Ranbir
agreed
to
do
an
audition.
Mira
has
almost
solved
her
casting
dilemma
over
The
Reluctant
Fundamentalist.
She
will
no
more
cast
a
Bollywood
actor
in
the
main
role,
though
she
had
a
secret
audition
with
Ranbir
Kapoor.
Reveals
Mira
for
the
first
time,
"I
did
a
beautiful
audition
with
Ranbir.
Some
years
ago
an
audition
for
Bollywood
stars
was
unheard
of.
But
Ranbir
did
an
excellent
full-hearted
audition
with
me.
I've
great
love
for
the
guy.
He
auditioned
for
two
hours
and
I
was
deeply
affected
by
his
performance."
Alas,
Ranbir
couldn't
give
the
dates.
"I
needed
him
for
three
months
from
March.
Sad
that
it
didn't
work
out,
although
Ranbir
initiated
the
discussion.
I
think
it
was
for
the
best.
After
Ranbir
didn't
work
out
I
decided
to
go
for
an
authentic
Pakistani.
But
I
think
I
will
work
with
Ranbir
at
some
time.
Now
I'm
going
to
choose
between
the
two
Pakistani
actors
I
wanted
from
the
start.
One
is
from
Lahore
and
the
other
from
Karachi.
In
The
Namesake
too
I
went
to
Kal
Penn
and
Tabu
after
Abhishek
Bachchan
and
Rani
Mukherjee
declined."
Mira
also
auditioned
Imran
Khan
for
The
Reluctant
Fundamentalist,
but
was
not
too
impressed.
Says
Mira
diplomatically,
"Imran
is
very
cute.
It's
going
to
be
a
Pakistani
actor.
The
fact
is,
the
protagonist
Changez
Khan
in
The
Reluctant
Fundamentalist
is
Pakistani.
He's
a
unique
character.
He's
rooted
to
Pakistan
but
is
a
global
citizen.
It's
a
very
challenging
role."
Mira
has
the
choice
between
two
Pakistani
actors.
"One
is
a
Pakistani
rock
star;
the
other
is
a
very
famous
film
and
television
star-actor.
But
the
Pakistani
rock
star
is
not
Ali
Zafar.
I'm
also
looking
at
a
British-trained
Pakistani
actor.
Out
of
300
actors
we've
zeroed
in
on
these
3."
Now
a
decision
has
to
be
taken
in
two
weeks.
"But
these
are
my
three
candidates,"
declares
the
far-from-reluctant
movie-maker.
Though
the
film
will
be
shot
with
a
Pakistani
actor
in
the
lead,
the
shooting
will
be
in
Delhi,
Mira's
home
town.
Explains
Mira,
"Spiritually
and
architecturally
Delhi
is
akin
to
Lahore.
But
I'll
be
shooting
in
Lahore
for
ten
days
as
well.
Then
four
weeks
in
New
York
and
four
days
in
Chile.
We
start
shooting
in
March."