The Intern: The long-delayed Hindi remake of The Intern is finally moving forward, but with a major change in casting plans. Actress Deepika Padukone, who was originally set to star opposite Amitabh Bachchan, has decided to step down from her acting role. Instead, she will now be involved only as a producer under her banner, KA Productions. The film, an adaptation of the 2015 Hollywood hit starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro, has been in the works since KA Productions bought the rights in 2020. Initially, the senior role was to be played by Rishi Kapoor, but after his passing, the makers brought in Amitabh Bachchan.
Deepika Padukone, according to a report in Mid-Day, will now focus solely on producing the film. “This time, Deepika will serve only as a producer, overseeing the creative and logistical reboot. A new leading lady will be cast to play the role she was earlier supposed to perform,” the report revealed. The report added that Deepika is using this decision to expand her creative vision. “The Intern is the first of five projects she plans to develop in the coming year, telling stories that will connect with audiences globally.” Despite the big names attached, production never took off. The pandemic, Deepika’s maternity break, and scheduling conflicts pushed filming further, leaving the project stalled for nearly five years.
Meanwhile, back in 2020, Deepika reportedly described the film as “an intimate, relationship-driven story set in and around the workplace,” and said it was relevant to the current social and cultural climate. She also expressed her excitement about working on a light, breezy comedy-drama after a string of intense roles. As per Deepika’s 2021 Instagram update, the remake will be co-produced by Sunil Kheterpal, with Warner Brothers India, KA Productions, and Azure Entertainment collaborating. At the time, Amit Ravindernath Sharma was set to direct, and the release was planned for summer 2022.
Additionally, he original film has inspired other versions, including a 2022 Japanese TV drama Unicorn Ni Notte, in which Hidetoshi Nishijima played Robert De Niro’s role, while Mei Nagano took on Anne Hathaway’s part.