Kabir Khan denies taking over as director of Super 30

The ouster of Vikas Bahl from Super 30 has raised questions on the project's future. This led to several reports that Kabir Khan was set to take over the director's chair for the film. However, Khan has now denied the reports, saying he is 'neck deep in '83' leaving him no time for other projects.

Featuring actor Hrithik Roshan, Super 30 is based on a Math whiz whose coaching institute becomes successful. Earlier, the film was supposed to be based on the rise of mathematician Ananth Kumar, but all references to him were removed after he was accused of allegedly fudging data about the number of his students who got selected in the IITs.

The film ran into a serious problem after the allegations of sexual harassment and misbehaviour against director Bahl were brought to light in the #MeToo campaign. Producers Reliance Entertainment and Hrithik Roshan decided to ask Bahl to step down from his role as director.

On Saturday (10 November), reports emerged suggesting Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) director Kabir Khan could take over the reins. Khan's close rapport with Hrithik and Sajid Nadiadwala seemingly spurred the rumours.

Bollywoodhungama.com quoted a source as saying, "It is not a small thing for any renowned director to step in at his last hour to complete a film. But Kabir, who is already working on another big bio-pic '86 for the same producers saw the gravity of the situation. Super 30 has so far shaped up into a finely-honed bio-pic. To leave it unfinished would be doing a disservice to the good work that Anand Kumar has been doing, and to the cause of aesthetic cinema as well [sic]."

However, speaking to Hindustan Times, a daily, the director has dimissed the news, saying, "The news is absolutely false. I don't know where it has come from. I am already neck-deep into '83 which leaves me no time to take up any other assignment at this point. It's a very challenging film."

Khan is currently working on a biopic on the Indian cricket team's first World Cup victory in 1983. The film, titled '83, will feature Ranveer Singh as the Indian captain, Kapil Dev.

Super 30 is set to be released on 25 January 2019.