Bollywood actor Nana Patekar is going to direct a multi-starrer Paanch Pandav, based on the epic Mahabharata, reports Mumbai Mirror.
While Ajay Devgan will play the lead role of Arjuna, Irrfan Khan is Yudhishtira and Vidya Balan will play the role of Draupadi in the film. The role of Shakuni goes to versatile veteran Om Puri.
Prakash Jha is producing Nana's second directorial venture after Prahaar. Rehan Khan will play Nakula.
Prakash Jha's production team is hunting for a muscular actor for Bhima's role and a relatively new actor for Sahadeva's character. Prakash Jha will start working on Nana's film after the release of Raajneeti. Paanch Pandav will go on the floors by the end of this year.
It was reported earlier that Nana was planning to launch his son Malhar in his next directorial venture based on autism and had approached Deepika Padukone to play the female lead. The source says, “That film has been put on hold for now.”
Nana had recently announced at a film event that Prakash Jha would produce his next directorial venture. Prakash Jha says, “Whenever Nana decides to direct a film, I will be more than happy to produce it.” Declining to divulge details, Nana says, “I will talk about the film when I make it.”