Director Karthik Subbaraj admits that a lot has changed in 'Jagame Thandhiram' in the two years since he envisioned it — from the setting of the story to its release model. But the most fundamental change probably lies in the casting of the antagonist. Given that the Dhanush-starrer was being mounted on an ambitious scale, the director initially hoped to cast Hollywood legend Robert De Niro as the international crime lord.

Robert De Niro with Al Pacino. Pic/AFP