Shahid Kapoor, who is going to essay the role of a gangster modelled on Dawood Ibrahim’s rival Hussain Ustara in Vishal Bhardwaj’s yet-to-be-titled action thriller, has begun prep for the role, as per reports.

The film will also star Triptii Dimri and marks Shahid’s reunion with the Haider (2014) director, seven years after Rangoon (2017).

As per a mid-day report, Shahid is undergoing “intense combat training to match the demands of the action sequences.”

“Equally important is understanding the mental make-up of a character like Ustara. Vishal sir, who is reuniting with the actor seven years after Rangoon, has been guiding him as he delves deep into Ustara’s motivations, emotions, and mental battles. The gangster was a layered personality, defined by his ruthless exterior but driven by personal codes of loyalty and honour,” said the mid-day report.

The report also stated that Triptii’s character hinges on revenge. “She has also begun her workshops. The two actors are prepping individually, and will kick off joint prep closer to the shoot.”

Vishal has been trying to make a Hussain Ustara biopic for years. The film was originally conceived as a biopic of gangster Sapna didi that would have seen Deepika Padukone in the titular role and the late Irrfan Khan in the role of Hussain. Later rumours stated that Kartik Aaryan was in talks to play the gangster, but now the character will be materialised by the performance of Vishal’s long-time collaborator Shahid.