Abhishek Kapoor’s last film, Kedarnath — starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan — witnessed a decent run at the box-office despite average reviews and a post-release ban in Uttarakhand. The filmmaker is prepping for his next project, Sharaabi, a dark comedy based on a dysfunctional alcoholic. The film is being bankrolled by T-Series and co-produced by Abhishek and Pragya Kapoor’s Guy In The Sky Pictures. 

The buzz is, actors Arjun Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor have been approached for the lead role in Sharaabi. Arjun, whose last film Namaste England was a dud, is presently working on Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Panipat, while Shahid is the process of wrapping up Kabir Singh, the Hindi remake of Telugu film, Arjun Reddy. It can be noted that both Kabir Singh and Sharaabi are centred on an alcoholic protagonist, making us wonder if Shahid would be inclined to do a similar-sounding role for his next. Reportedly, both Arjun and Shahid have expressed interest in the project and an official announcement is expected to be made soon. 

Sharaabi shares its title with Prakash Mehra's 1984 hit starring Amitabh Bachchan; the makers are yet to confirm if the film is an official remake. Abhishek Kapoor's previous films include Fitoor, Kai Po Che, Rock On, Rock On II and Aryan: Unbreakable.