Exclusive: Anees Bazmee confirms stepping back from Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s next film

New Delhi, Oct 28 While actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been busy shooting his upcoming film Section 108, we have learned that one of its presenters Anees Bazmee has withdrawn from the project owing to certain issues.

Confirming the same to us exclusively, Bazmee tells us, “Yes, I am no longer associated with the project.” When asked about the reason, the director shared that there was nothing in particular. “I just thought of focusing on other projects,” shares the director, who for now is focusing on the third part of the Bhool Bhulaiyyaa franchise.

However, a source close to the development informed us that there were certain problems that led to the decision. “Bazmee had put forth certain clauses that were difficult to meet. The entire team could not agree to it and hence Bazmee decided to part ways, however, it was a mutual call and there were no hard feelings. He even expressed a wish to collaborate sometime in the future,” the source tells us.

Another insider further tells us that Bazmee was only the face of the film and not the producer as misunderstood by a lot of people. “When it’s a small-scale film, it’s good to have names like him because the process of getting good deals with OTT and satellite platforms gets easy. The film sells on the name. So, while he had not invested any money in the project, his taking a step back might affect the film later,” says the insider.

Bazmee’s team later issued a notice clarifying his stance. The notice that came through the trade publication Complete Cinema, read: “Our client is no longer presenting the film Section 108 starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Regina Cassandra and others directed by Rasikh Khan. And that our client is no longer part of the said film in any manner whatsoever. Therefore, through this notice, the public in general and all the concerned parties are informed about the same.