Abbas’s 1-800-Love faces casting crisis as actor Abheek Sinha denied visa

Abbas Tyrewala refuses to look for a replacement of actor playing pivotal character, who was denied a visa

Abbas's 1-800-Love faces casting crisis as actor Abheek Sinha denied visa

Abbas Tyrewala refuses to look for a replacement of actor playing pivotal character, who was denied a visa

The film, which is set to roll in London next week in a start-to-finish schedule, is due to end in September.

Days before the unit was to leave, one of the film's actorsu00a0 newcomer Abheek Sinha aka Rohn has been denied a visa to England.

Potential offloader

Apparently, the boy who's all of 16, is seen to be a potential 'off-loader' on the British economy, one who would enter England on a temporary workingu00a0 visa and stay on permanently.

Tyrewala, harassed by this sudden change in the unit's travel plans, admits there is indeed a crisis. "The boy Abheek (screen name: Rohn) plays the protagonist's neighbour and is a catalyst in the plot. His is one of the most important parts in the film after the leads John Abraham and Pakhi. He was denied a visa because he's at 'that impressionable age when he can choose to stay on in England after shooting'."

Only Rohn

Abbas spotted Rohn at a cafu00e9, walked up to him and offered him the role and doesn't want to consider another option at this stage, "I want only him for this role. I can't make the film without this boy. I see only him in the role. I want him and no one else." Replacing Rohn with a local actor is not an option.

"I can't get the same accent and body language in a British Asian actor. And why should we give in to such external pressures?u00a0 It has to be Rohn and no one else."

The producer is running around frantically trying to get the British Embassy to see sense.

Past roadblocks to indian actors
Many film units from Mumbai have been facing visa blockades. But so far these hurdles were
restricted to visa applicants from a particular community. Very recently, Aamir Bashir had been denied a US visa when he was due to shoot for Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan and had to be hastily replaced by Jimmy Sheirgill.