Abhishek Chaubey’s Ishqiya was initially set to star Irrfan Khan, Preity Zinta and Pankaj Tripathi

Director Abhishek Chaubey recently revealed in an interview that his dark comedy Ishqiya (2010) was initially set to star the late Irrfan Khan, Preity Zinta and Pankaj Tripathi in the lead. The film was ultimately made with Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah and Vidya Balan.

During a conversation with Mashable India, Abhishek said, “Initially, Pankaj ji was supposed to play Khalujan (the role that eventually went to Shah) and Irrfan was to play Babban (the role that ultimately went to Arshad). At various points, Lara Dutta was approached, but Preity Zinta was finalised. She had read an earlier draft, liked it a lot, and was on board. I then left for New York feeling very happy that the story was solid.”

She added, “And while I was there, I received the news that Preity had left the project. Irrfan Bhai was in New York at that time, so he called me, asked where I was and invited me over. He was staying on the 50th floor of a very luxurious hotel and I remember standing beneath that Waldorf Astoria-type building, wearing a torn jacket and jeans.”

Abhishek then met Irrfan, who felt that the changes done to the script were not favourable. “That’s when I realised he probably wouldn’t do it. While great things happened with the script, terrible things happened behind the scenes,” he said.

Abhishek last directed the Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sen Sharma starrer Killer Soup.