Irrfan and Soha Ali Khan

The Indian Film Company’s tentatively-titled Bubblegum was on a sticky wicket even before take-off. Though the film has finally gone on the floors, two lead stars Irrfan and Rahul Bose had almost burst debutant director Anil (Senior) Sharma’s bubble.

Bubblegum is a story about two metropolitan couples and their relationships. One is called Samit, an investment banker whose wife (played by Soha Ali Khan) works in a high-profile beauty clinic; this role was meant for Rahul Bose. The other role, that of Rishi, a lecturer in a media school, was to be played by Irrfan.

Explains Anil Senior Sharma: “While narrating the script to Rahul Bose, he kept asking me about the other character, Rishi, to be played by Irrfan. After the narration, Rahul told me that he would like to do the character of Rishi as it was more dramatic and he had not done something like that before. I was very sceptical when I went back to Irrfan.”

But his debutant’s luck was working overtime. “When I told Irrfan about Rahul’s wish he started laughing as he admitted that he wanted to play the character of Samit, the role meant for Rahul. In fact, he would have made the request,” he sighed. Irrfan had a feeling that he had not done such an understated role before and that it would suit him.

Now, a couple of weeks into the shooting, even the director is saying: “I am actually wondering how I could have seen them otherwise. They are simply brilliant in their respective characters,” he concludes.

Because of this change now, Soha Ali Khan is opposite Irrfan for the first time making it a unique pairing. The film also stars Rahul Khanna and Konkona Sensharma.

So, let the gum blow but not burst!