Kabir Khan On Casting Deepika Padukone In 83: It Had Nothing To Do With Ranveer Singh

Kabir Khan's upcoming sports drama 83 has been creating a lot of buzz ever since it was announced for its impressive star cast. Starring Ranveer Singh as cricket legend Kapil Dev, the film also marks his onscreen reunion with Deepika Padukone who is essaying the role of his wife Romi Dev.

Khan in his latest interview with Indian Express opened up on casting Deepika in his movie. He clarified that his decision to rope in Deepika for 83 wasn't influenced by the fact that she's married to Ranveer. However, he added that seeing the real-life pairs as onscreen couples works well as a marketing strategy.

Kabir was quoted as saying, "Her casting has nothing to do with Ranveer. Yes, today, as a marketing campaign it's a thing to talk about. It's a real-life couple coming together for the first time after marriage. However, I would have gone to Deepika even if she was not married to Ranveer."

He called her a 'fantastic' actress with an amazing presence and said that the energy which she brought as Romi was much needed.

"I have admired her over the years and she is a fantastic actor, with such an amazing presence. Romi Dev's character does not have a lot of screentime but it's very significant. The energy that Romi brings was much needed. When I met Kapil and Romi a few years back, I realised that he is incomplete without her. And if that is the current mood, I am sure that would have been the case years back. The 1983 journey would have been incomplete without her presence in Kapil Dev's life," he was quoted as saying.

Helmed by Kabir Khan, 83 is slated to hit the big screens on December 24.