Alia Bhatt was the first choice for the remake of Sridevi’s ChaalBaaz? Here’s what we know

Back in April this year, Shraddha Kapoor took to her official social media handle to announce her next film, ChaalBaaz In London. Instantly we all thought it was a remake of Sridevi’s super hit 1989 film ChaalBaaz because the background score was the music of ‘Na Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai’ and because it is being directed by Pankaj Parashar, who helmed the original. Moreover, it was reported that Shraddha will play a double role in the film. Well, the director clarified yesterday that ChaalBaaz In London is not a remake of Sridevi’s film.

A report in ETimes has now reported that producer Manmohan Shetty had planned to make a remake of the 1989 film and had even approached Alia Bhatt to step into Sridevi’s shoes for the project. However, things did not work out. Shetty had earlier purchased the rights of the film from Jayantilal Gada after paying a hefty signing amount. But they had a deal according to which Shetty had to start the remake in 6 months. According to their agreement, if he failed to do so, the rights would return to Gada, which is what happened. So now the remake rights are back with Jayantilal Gada.

Pankaj, on the other hand, reached the office of T-Series with his own script, which is 80% based in London and is in a different zone. The project, which is not a remake, eventually got a green light from the producers. In an interview after the film’s announcement, the filmmaker had shared that Shraddha is magic on screen and nobody could be better than her for a film like ChaalBaaz In London.