In Malang (2020), Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani joined forces for the first time and set the silver screen on fire with their crackling chemistry. After the rousing success of the Mohit Suri directorial, the two were set to star together in Suri’s next Ek Villain 2, though not opposite each other. However, Kapur decided to quit the project due to some creative differences and the role finally went to Arjun Kapoor.
After exiting Ek Villain 2, Aditya Roy Kapur went on to sign an action-packed entertainer with filmmaker Ahmed Khan. The latest we hear that now the choreographer-turned-filmmaker has roped in Disha Patani too to pair her opposite Kapur in the film.
A popular tabloid reports that the team is currently trying to lock the combination dates and if both the actors' dates match, they will start shooting for the film by the end of the year. Though the makers are yet to announce the project officially, the same publication goes on to report that it has tentatively been titled Om.
A few weeks ago, reports were doing the rounds that newcomer Tara Sutaria had snagged the lead role opposite Aditya Roy Kapur in the film. However, the actress did like the story of the movie, but she was yet to sign it on the dotted line.
On the work front, Disha Patani is looking forward to resuming shoot to finish the pending work on her much-awaited film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai opposite superstar Salman Khan. The action entertainer, directed by Prabhu Deva, also features Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff in important roles. Patani also plays the lead role in producer Ekta Kapoor’s next production offering KTina, directed by Ashima Chibber.
Aditya Roy Kapur, on the other hand, will next be seen in filmmaker Anurag Basu’s anthology film Ludo. The movie is slated to premiere as a direct digital release on Netflix in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keep visiting this space for more updates from the world of entertainment.
Dakota Johnson steps behind the camera for her first feature film
Charli XCX and Jessica Alba in talks for lead roles
Vanessa Burghardt pens script and may appear on screen
Filming starts next month in Los Angeles with a £10m (₹1.38 billion) budget
Drama follows an autistic teen seeking independence after high school
Dakota Johnson is stepping into direction with A Tree Is Blue, a coming-of-age drama attracting attention for its ensemble. Charli XCX and Jessica Alba are reportedly joining the cast. Burghardt, Johnson’s Cha Cha Real Smooth co-star, wrote it and could take a part. Production begins next month in Los Angeles under a £10m (₹1.38 billion) budget, funded by Rivulet.
'A Tree Is Blue' will mark Dakota Johnson’s directorial debut with Charli XCX and Jessica Alba starring in a teen coming-of-age story Getty Images
Why A Tree Is Blue matters for Dakota Johnson
Johnson, who has acted in The Materialists and produced Splitsville, has been quietly preparing to move behind the camera. She previously directed the short Loser Baby, which premiered at TIFF last year. A Tree Is Blue is her leap into full-length features, produced under her TeaTime Pictures banner alongside Ro Donnelly and Sam Racanelli. Rob Paris and Mike Witherill are producing for Rivulet, with Hyunji Ward and Rick Steele executive producing.
“It’s really close to my heart,” Johnson said at Karlovy Vary, hinting at the project last summer. “Vanessa played my daughter in Cha Cha Real Smooth. She’s incredible and the story deserves care.”
Dakota Johnson directs A Tree Is Blue as Charli XCX and Jessica Alba join a story about autism and freedomGetty Images
What is the story about?
The film follows a teen on the autism spectrum seeking independence. Burghardt wrote the script from her own experience. It’s a story about independence, friendship, and some summer mayhem.
How Charli XCX and Jessica Alba fit in
Charli XCX has been exploring acting alongside her music, appearing in Faces of Death, I Want Your Sex, and A24’s The Moment. She’s also been working on film scores. Alba, meanwhile, has Netflix’s Trigger Warning behind her and is set to appear with Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia, and Al Pacino in Maserati: The Brothers.
Charli XCX and Jessica Alba sign on for Dakota Johnson’s first feature A Tree Is Blue about teenage independenceGetty Images
When and where filming starts
The main filming phase begins in November in Los Angeles. CAA Media Finance is handling sales, with California tax credits of £2.4m (₹275m) helping keep costs low. Hard not to notice the mix of fresh talent and seasoned actors, it already feels like a project that could quietly make waves. Representation is sorted for Johnson, Burghardt, Charli XCX, and Alba, with CAA, UTA, and other agencies confirming talks. Small-scale, carefully assembled, but it has a certain weight already.
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