Amitabh Bachchan to step in for Rishi Kapoor in 'The Intern' adaptation

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is set to star alongside Deepika Padukone in the Indian adaptation of the 2015 Hollywood film "The Intern". Bachchan is joining the project which originally starred Padukone opposite veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who passed away last April following a two-year battle with cancer.

"The Intern" also reunites the two actors after the 2015 critical hit "Piku". Amit Ravindernath Sharma of "Badhaai Ho!" fame will direct the film. Padukone, who is also producing the project with Sunir Khetarpal, took to Instagram on Monday to share the news of Bachchan's casting.

"What an absolute honour to be collaborating with one of my most special co-star again! Welcoming @amitabhbachchan to the Indian adaptation of #TheIntern," the actor-producer captioned her post. Bachchan, who previously starred in 2019's "Badla", the Indian remake of the 2016 Spanish film "The Invisible Guest", said he is looking forward to working with the team.

"One more time .. Indian Adaptation of #TheIntern," he tweeted alongside the poster of the film. Directed by Nancy Meyers, the original film revolved around a 70-year-old widower (Robert De Niro) who becomes a senior intern at an online fashion website, where he forms an unlikely friendship with the company's workaholic CEO (Anne Hathaway).

"The Intern", distributed worldwide by Warner Bros, was a box office success, grossing USD 195 million worldwide. Meyers also served as the writer and producer on the film. Akshat Ghidiyal and Mitesh Shah have been credited for the adapted screenplay and dialogues on the upcoming Indian version. Athena ENM and Warner Bros India are jointly producing the project along with Padukone's Ka Productions. Chrome Pictures is attached as co-producer. The makers are planning to release the film in the summer of 2022.