But the question still remains on who is playing the movie’s leading actress. Still confused on whom to cast, Abhay says that he and producer K Manju have shortlisted many actresses. “Every time, we zero in on a name, either we don’t get their dates or the remuneration is not matching,” says Abhay.
Shikari is about a software engineer who falls in love with a character in a novel. Speaking about the huge canvas the actress will have to work with, Abhay says that they are definitely looking for an experienced actress. “It’s going to be a challenging role, as along with Mammootty, the actress will also have to play a double role. We auditioned a few fresh faces but then felt that an experienced actress will be able to carry the film well,” he adds.
Apparently, the duo also went to Mumbai to audition some actresses out there, “Since the film is being made in Kannada and Malayalam, we finally decided that a South Indian actress is a better choice, so that she will know at least one of the two languages,” says Abhay, who is currently shooting in both the languages simultaneously.
With the completion of the first schedule, Abhay says that working with Mammootty has been a wonderful experience. “I was very scared at first but gradually everything fell into place and he made it very easy to work with him,” adds Abhay. The shoot in Bangalore has been completed and once the leading lady is finalised, the crew will soon move to Kerala to complete the film.