Sanjay Dutt to play ruthless villain, will face off against Ranbir Kapoor in Shamshera

The two actors will share the screen space for the first time in the period-action adventure film.

New Delhi: Actor Sanjay Dutt, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film 'Torbaaz' in Kyrgyzstan, has been roped in by director Karan Malhotra for his upcoming period film 'Shamshera'. Dutt will be pitted against actor Ranbir Kapoor in the mega action spectacle film.

The film will be produced by Yash Raj Films' and goes with the tagline — 'Karam Se Dacait... Dharam Se Azaad'.

While Ranbir will be seen essaying the role of a dacoit in 'Shamshera', Sanjay will be seen as a ruthless, merciless villain in the period- drama adventure. 

An antagonist unlike any other you’ve seen before!!! Looking forward to my second collaboration with Sanjay Sir!! #Shamshera #RanbirKapoor | @duttsanjay | @ShamsheraMovie https://t.co/zy2dQ4iIv0 — Karan Malhotra (@karanmalhotra21) May 10, 2018

We've got an ultimate casting coup!​ Our upcoming action adventure #Shamshera has a roaring villain against #RanbirKapoor. It's the one & only #SanjayDutt | @duttsanjay​ | @karanmalhotra21 | @ShamsheraMovie — Yash Raj Films (@yrf) May 10, 2018

This would be Sanjay's first-ever project with the banner whereas Ranbir's third collaboration after 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' and 'Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year'. The film is part of YRF's three-movie deal with Karan Malhotra, who directed 'Agneepath' and 'Brothers'. 

Karan, who has earlier worked with Sanjay in 'Agneepath', told DNA, "Shamshera is a ferocious and fearless character in the film. Therefore his nemesis, the villain had to be even more fierce and monumental in every aspect. Who better than Sanjay sir to give us that impact on screen?"

"'Shamshera' is exactly the film I was looking for. While growing up watching Hindi commercial cinema, I had an image of what a film hero should be doing. 'Shamshera' allows me to do everything that I had imagined and it's a very exciting project for me," Ranbir said in a statement.

"Karan is going to take me completely out of my comfort zone and I'm looking forward to this challenge," Ranbir said of the high-octane adventure which is set in the heartland of India.

In the first-look poster of the film, that was shared on the social media recently, one can see a silhouette of the actor, carrying an axe and a quiver of arrows.

#SHAMSHERA - https://t.co/diSxkrQGzI#RanbirKapoor | @karanmalhotra21 | @ShamsheraMovie pic.twitter.com/JmGQj7OyR5 — Yash Raj Films (@yrf) May 7, 2018

A teaser of the project shows Ranbir leading an army of dacoits, and delivering the punch line of the film in a husky voice: "Karam se dacait, dharam se azaad".

Ranbir Kapoor as Shamshera: 

'Shamshera' is set to go on the floors by the end of this year and shooting will wrap by mid-2019.