Arya as Tipu Sultan?

The makers of Malayalam film 'Tipuvum Unniarchayum' say they approached Tamil star Arya to play the title role; the actor denies having even heard of them
Malayalam film director Vayalar Madhavankutty seems to be having a tough time finalising on the cast of his period film, Tipuvum Unniarchayum ��� a biopic on Tipu Sultan. Initially, it was Kamal Hassan who was the frontrunner to play the legendary king.The latest though, is that Tamil actor Arya is allegedly the chosen one.
If things had gone according to producers Gokulam Gopalan and Praveen���s initial plan, this film would have marked Kamal Hassan���s return to the Malayalam film industry with a full-fledged role after 23 years since Chanakyan.
Director Madhavankutty says, ���We are in talks with Arya to play the lead role. He likes the script. We will be finalising the casting as soon as dates and remuneration has been fixed.���
While this would be a casting coup of sorts, when contacted, Arya denied having been approached for the role at all. ���I have not heard of any such film. As of now, I am not in talks with any project in Malayalam either,��� says the actor.
Meanwhile, the film���s scribe John Paul informs us that the scripting for the first half of the film has been done. ���It���s a massive project and pre-production takes up a lot of time as we are required to build sets and create costumes from scratch. A great deal of research is being conducted to ensure every detail is accurate,��� he says.
The director also informs us that the leading lady for the film could in all probability be Anushka. ���Unniarcha���s character in the film, demands an actress who possesses a physique similar to that of Malabar���s warrior princess. We had shortlisted five top actresses in the country and Anushka fits the bill the best,��� he says, adding that the film will go on floors early next year.
Whether this is the final cast for this film or not is something only the producers can confirm. Both Gopalan and Praveen were unavailable for comment as they are currently in the US.
(With inputs by Kavya Christopher)
One more film on Tipu...
Looks like Tipu Sultan will strike twice in Mollywood next year. Incidentally, another script for Gokulan Gopalan���s The Betrayal is also underway. This will also feature Tipu and Unniarcha. This bilingual flick, which will be made in Malayalam and Hindi, is being scripted by Joseph K Jose and Sumesh Ramankutty.
���The story is a revelation of the mystery behind the death of the legendary king in the fourth Anglo-Mysore War and his relation with a warrior princess,��� says Sumesh, adding that it is historically accounted that the body of the Malabar princess was found on the battleground. The team hopes to rope in Tamil star Vikram to play Tipu.While the cast will be finalised by December, the bigger mystery is why would a producer want to work two similar projects?