Director Shoojit Sircar, who's currently shooting his Amitabh Bachchan-Sarika starrer marital drama in Shimla, has been facing a casting issue. He needs two actors to play his protagonists at the age of 24-25, to play young Amitabh Bachchan and Sarika, just like Smriti Mishra who had played Kirron Kher's younger avatar in Sardari Begum in Shyam Benegal's film. The problem is who can match the two actors physically and in terms of talent? How about Abhishek Bachchan and Sarika's daughter Shruti, who's all set to make her debut as an actress? Divulges Sircar, "I did ask Abhishek to do the role. But he didn't feel the time was right to fit into his father's shoes. Even as I shoot with Amitji, we're auditioning young men who have his looks and at least some acting talent. As for Sarikaji, we've more or less found a young actress to play her younger role." Apparently, when Renzil D'Silva, of Rang De Basanti fame, wrote the screenplay he had envisaged Abhishek as the senior Bachchan's junior avatar. ... read more »