Joburg casino gets Bollywood makeover for 'godfather'

05 February 2017 - 02:00 By TASCHICA PILLAY
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

A heist is set to go down at one of Johannesburg's largest casinos, involving the undisputed Godfather of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan.

The robbery, carried out by three blind men, is part of the script of Aankhen 2, which is due to start filming at Emperors Palace soon.

The star-studded cast includes Bachchan - who was anointed "godfather" by TIME Magazine - and Anil Kapoor, who became internationally known for his role in the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.

The movie - a sequel to Aankhen, which was shot in South Africa and became a box-office hit following its release in 2002 - will also bring to South African shores Arjun Rampal, Arshad Warsi, Vidyut Jamwal and Regina Cassandra. Cassandra will be making her Bollywood debut.

In the first film, Bachchan plays a bank manager who is fired and then plots vengeance by hiring the three blind men to rob the bank.

The producer of Aankhen 2, Gaurang Doshi, told the Sunday Times from India that the stars would arrive in South Africa in April for the month-long shoot.

Doshi said that without Bachchan, who he described as a legend in the industry, the sequel would not have been possible.

Bachchan, 74, confirmed that he would be appearing in the sequel during the official launch in Mumbai in August last year.

In Aankhen 2, the three blind men rob the casino after Bachchan's character is released from prison.

Doshi, who did not want to reveal too much about the new film, described it as a thriller with a lot of humour.

"Fans will really enjoy it. It's a popcorn film."

Doshi said the script called for the action to take place in one of the largest casinos in the world, which was why Emperors Palace had been chosen.

"[It] has a remarkable interior design," he said.

"South Africa is beautiful and so are the people. South Africa has one of the best casinos. The emotions are in South Africa because of the success of the first film, which was shot in Cape Town.

"The people have been good and the government really supportive. I want to promote South Africa and its people."

Doshi said he would be in South Africa next week to finalise other locations.

Director Anees Bazmee called the idea of a heist carried out by blind bandits novel. "South Africa is one of the perfect locations to shoot," he said.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now