Sajid dumps Akshay for a younger face

“Akshay is not going to be in my next film. We need a much younger person for the lead role,” said Sajid, who also rules out the possibility of roping in a fresh face for the film. “The script requires an established face,” he said.

Sajid’s new film will mark his parting of ways with not just Akshay but also his friend Sajid Nadiadwala, who produced his two other projects. He is now collaborating with producer Vashu Bhagnani. Sajid is also shifting to another genre.

“This time I am moving away from comedy. I am doing an action adventure drama. My film will have lots of action, but no violence. I like to make films which a family can sit and watch together,” he said.

Sajid says Indian filmmakers must stop competing with Hollywood in terms of action because “we do not have the budgets to match them”.

According to him, it is more important to intersperse emotions with action. And that he feels is the sole reason why the violence and bloodshed in Sunny Deol’s hit film Gadar - Ek Prem Katha worked.

“I can understand how technologically advanced action has become in our movies, but unless there is emotion or a strong story, it doesn’t work. With every action sequence, there must be an emotion to justify it,” said Sajid.

Even though he feels that Aamir Khan’s Ghajini was excessively violent, Sajid says it struck a chord because of the love angle in the story.