Producer David Dhawan found a striking resemblance in Zafar and Farooq Sheikh who played the lead role of Siddharth Parashar, an Economic graduate doing his PhD at Delhi University, with two incredulous friends Omi and Jomo, played by Rakesh Bedi and Late Ravi Baswani.

“Both Shaikh and Zafar are aristocratic and cultured. And there’s a certain masoomiyat (innocence) about them. When my co-writer Renuka and I began to re-write Chashme Buddoor for contemporary times, we immediately thought of Ali in Farooq’s role,” said Sai Paranjpye, the director of the film to Mid-Day.

“Doesn’t it make sense for Ali to sing his own songs in the film? I loved what Ali sang in Luv Ka The End. My film’s music will have the same contemporary feel,” said Dhawan.

Zafar might go to meet Sheikh to understand the character and Sheikh is feeling great to see a classic is being remade.

“It would be a pleasure to meet Ali. But he should get a chance to read the new full script for Chashme Buddoor, with the dialogues. The strength of Chashme Buddoor lay in what Sai Paranjpye did as writer and director,” said Shaikh.