Imran Khan too busy to respond to Deepa Mehta's offer

Doesn't respond to Deepa Mehta's offer to play lead in Midnight's Children adaptation
PS: Is maamujaan's hidden hand at work here?

Both Salman Rushdie and Deepa Mehta, who'll adapt the author's Midnight's Children, feel Imran Khan would be the suitable choice to play the protagonist Saleem in her film.

During one of her visits to Mumbai last year, Deepa tried to contact Imran. To her dismay, there was no response from his end.

We have options

The director says, "Maybe he was busy or maybe he doesn't want to work with me. Whatever the reason, we've a number of Indian and international options for the part. Both Salman and I felt Imran was a natural choice for the part, culturally and physically," says Deepa.

In disagreement

Deepa has worked with Imran's uncle Aamir in 1947 Earth. And it wasn't smooth-sailing for the director. Till date, Aamir and Deepa don't agree on the way Aamir's character was interpreted in the film.

She feels, "Healthy discussion and arguments are a fundamental part of the creative process. Coincidentally, Aamir had also played a kind of midnight's child in 1947, though his character wasn't born at the stroke of midnight."

It isn't known why Imran responded with discernible empathy to Deepa's efforts to contact him. But those who know him feel it could be the young actor's inability to connect with the historical background of the project.

Cast me, says Salman

Apparently, when Rushdie agreed to let his buddy Deepa film the much sought-after novel Midnight's Children the generous offer came with a pre-condition She had to cast him as one of the characters. Rushdie has done cameos in Bridget Jones' Diary and And Then She Found Me, saw himself in a particular role in Midnight's Children.

Deepa admits, "Yes, Salman did express a wish to play a certain character. And I happily agreed to let him do it. So that was the first piece of casting that fell into place."
Rushdie and Deepa have been close friends for years. They're co-scripting the movie adaptation of Midnight's Children.