Sir Ben Kingsley cameo in Teen Patti

Sir Ben Kingsley cameo in Teen Patti

Why  is  Sir Ben Kingsley who  not  so  long ago swept  the world,  critics and  the Oscars by playing Gandhi,  ready and willing  to do a  5-day cameo  in  an out-and-out  Amitabh Bachchan film?

 The announcement that Ben Kingsley would be working   with the Big B in Leena Yadav's  Teen Patti comes as a shock.According to  insiders  the  film  was  complete many months  ago…but for  five days  of  work with  a  Caucasian actor .

Says a leading   member  of the unit, "It was   a bit tricky and  complicated.  Getting a  white-skinned  actor  at the last stage of the film wasn't   easy. Everyone   knew the film   was almost complete. So  approaching a  big name  appeared absurd.  Websites  and  newspapers weren't  making  it  easier for us  by  telling the world that we've cast  Pierce Brosnon or  Richard Gere  in  the role. Where did they  come in? We didn't even start casting  until our producer  returned  from her honeymoon a  few months ago."

Ben Kingsley  it  seems  was keen  for a long time  to be  part  of an Indian project.  While shooting in Tunisia  with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan  for  The Last Legion he had offered to do Taj Mahal with her featuring them as Shah Jehan and  Mumtaz Mahal.

 But recession  killed that  project.   And Kingsley's keenness to  be associated with  a  completely Indian  project remained  unfulfilled.

Until now…. And  never mind  if  in the words of  a crew member, "It's a role  that any actor can do."

If  the mighty  Sylvester Stallone  can be seen lending support to Akshay Kumar, why not  Ben Kingsley  in a cameo  for an Amitabh Bachchan starrer?