Dutt vs Devgn again

Ajay Devgn in Son of Sardaar; (right) Sanjay Dutt

When Ajay Devgn announced Son of Sardaar 2 almost 12 years after the original's release, the questions about the cast were inevitable. Earlier, reports suggested that neither leading lady Sonakshi Sinha nor Sanjay Dutt would feature in the action comedy's sequel. But now, mid-day has exclusively learnt that Dutt has been signed on for Vijay Kumar Arora's directorial venture.

So, will the actor reprise his role of Balwinder Singh Sandhu aka Billu to Devgn's Jassi? Yes and no. It turns out that the sequel is a fresh story, and doesn't pick up where the original ended. A source reveals, "That said, since the characters of Billu and Jassi were loved by the audiences, the two actors are expected to stick to their characters' names. Their dynamics, however, will be different. While the two were at loggerheads with hilarious results in Son of Sardaar, this time, their rivalry will be intense, with Sanjay's role leaning towards the antagonist. Off screen, the two actors are close friends, and Ajay has made sure that Sanjay has a fantastic role in the second part."

Mrunal Thakur

Arora, who is a successful Punjabi director and served as the director of photography on Devgn's Action Jackson (2014), plans to take the action comedy on floors around July-end. "Ajay, Sanjay and Mrunal Thakur, who has been roped in as the female lead, will kick off a 50-day schedule in Scotland. It is famous for its castles, historic towns, lochs, and beaches, with many episodes of Game of Thrones, and much of the Harry Potter franchise having been shot there. The direction team had done a recce earlier this year, and finalised the scenic towns of Glencoe and Glenfinnan, as well as sites such as the Culross Palace, Doune Castle, Preston Mill and Falkland Palace. The locations form a fitting backdrop for the kind of action and drama that the director has in mind. A few romantic songs featuring Ajay and Mrunal will also be shot in the country's picturesque locales," adds the source.

Devgn is expected to wrap up the shoot of Rohit Shetty's Singham Again next week, after which he will focus single-mindedly on Son of Sardaar 2. After the Scotland schedule is complete, the actor will start filming De De Pyaar De 2 in London.