Aditi Rao Hydari comes to Sanjay Dutt’s rescue for Bhoomi – While casting for Bhoomi, other actresses were approached
Aditi Rao Hydari
Were it not for Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film Bhoomi, would still have been stuck. Director Omung Kumar approached quite a few actresses to play Dutt’s daughter in the film, including Kriti Sanon, Sayyeshaa Saigal and Shraddha Kapoor, but they all turned it down. Aditi came on board at the last moment and bailed the team out, so shooting could start in Agra. While casting for Bhoomi, other actresses were approached. Alia Bhatt was Omung’s first choice but he knew she would be too busy and shooting was to start from February 1, this year, so she wasn’t approached. “Sayyeshaa, Shraddha and Kriti were all given narrations, but all backed out after keeping Omung waiting,” reveals a source.
Co-producer Sandeep Singh says, “Sayyeshaa was busy with her South commitments. Kriti liked the script, but was busy with Bareilly Ki Barfi and Raabta. We approached Dangal girl Sanya Malhotra, too, but she didn’t want to play a daughter’s role again. With a month left to begin shooting, we approached Aditi. We have been friends for five years now. She had come over after shooting for Padmavati and Omung and I met her at 1 am at night for the narration. She said yes immediately and requested time to work out her dates. She’s a very natural actress. With her, there are no tantrums or fussiness. We shot on the streets of Agra for days without a vanity van and Aditi hasn’t complained one bit.” He shrugs, “Whatever happens is for the best. Aditi bailed us out and today, she’s so good in and as Bhoomi, a simple, working-class girl from Agra.” Sanju Baba’s comeback film could only commence because she said yes to his daughter’s role.
Meanwhile
Sanjay Dutt has no qualms about travelling in auto-rickshaws and he has done it sometimes in Mumbai. But recently he rode one in Agra, where he is shooting and it caused a traffic jam. Says an insider, “Sanjay got stuck in traffic in the crowded inner lanes of Agra. Since a rickshaw can manoueuvre better in these small lanes, than a big car, he got into one.”
