Irrfan, Priyanshu Chatterjee to work in 'Dreaded Gangster'

Director Suvahhdan Angre has roped in actors Irrfan and Priyanshu Chatterjee for his forthcoming film “Dreaded Gangster”, focusing on the extradition of gangster Abu Salem from Portugal.

Set to make comeback with the film, the “Tum Bin” actor will essay the role of Salem while Irrfan will play a CBI officer.

“The film would soon hit the floors. Chatterjee is currently going though rigorous training schedules to look like Salem. Irrfan would be roped in to play the role of CBI’s top officer DIG O P Chhatwal who was instrumental in extraditing the gangster from Portugal,” Angre told PTI.

Salem, currently lodged in Taloja jail of Navi Mumbai, is currently facing trials for serious crimes such as murder, extortion and terrorism, including the 1993 bomb blasts case.

Along with Salem, his friend and starlet Monika Bedi was also brought from Portugal to India by CBI.

The role of Bedi has not yet been finalised but efforts are on to approach actress Zarine Khan for the slot, he said.

The film would highlight the strong side of the Indian law because of which the gangster, who evaded arrest earlier in criminal cases in India by escaping to foreign countries, was extradited to India to face trials, Angre said.

The movie focuses on Salem’s early days at his native place in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, his migration to Delhi in search of a job, and his relocation to Mumbai, where he joined the infamous Dawood Ibrahim gang to take up petty crimes and went on to became a notorious gangster with a gang of his own, he said.

The film will also depict how Salem allegedly handled underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim’s crime syndicate and helped it flourish in Mumbai, besides his hold over Bollywood.

However, the main hero of the film is the CBI officer O P Chhatwal who put in his best to bring back Salem to India from Portugal from where the gangster allegedly operated his underworld activities, said Angre.

He said the movie aims to convey a message to masses that law ultimately catches up with everyone and that in India the laws are strong enough to book the offenders.

Angre’s two films-  “Aadesh—Power of law” inspired by the high-profile public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, and “Billu Ustaad”, a film on child terrorism, are slated to be released this year.