The Bhatts' affinity for actors and musicians from Pakistan is common knowledge - a fact that is evident in all their recent releases, Nazar, Woh Lamhe, Gangster, Kalyug and Zeher.
Their forthcoming title, Awarapan, however, takes the Pakistan connection to a new level altogether. Not only has a section of the climax been secretly shot in Lahore but every singer on the film's chartbusting soundtrack, without exception, hails from Pakistan, making it the first for a mainstream Bollywood flick.
The main vocals for the two key songs (To Phir Aao & Tere Mera Rishta) belong to Mustafa Zahid, who founded the famous Pakistani band, Rox3n. The other track, Maula Maula, is by Rafaqat Ali Khan, while the lively Maahiya, has been rendered by the 22-year old Annie, whose track took Pakistan by storm when it debuted in 2006.
And this isn't enough! Shreya Saran (who plays Emraan Hashmi's romantic interest in the film) is a Muslim character in the film. Her get-up and mannerisms were specially worked on!
Being released internationally by Studio 18 on June 29, Awarapan will most certainly have the Muslims flocking to cinemas for more reasons than one!
