MUMBAI: It looks like Saif Ali Khan would have to wait a while before he can do a double role….unless it’s a home production like ‘Love Aaj Kal’ where he not only played the lead he also played the young Rishi Kapoor in the flashbacks. If you hold the purse strings you can do anything.

But for Milan Luthria’s proposed action-adventure thriller that starts early next year Saif’s double role has been converted into a two-hero project.

Apparently the film is about two protagonists in different parts of the world who behave exactly the same way and indulge in the same activities in their own unique ways, at the same time.

Says a source, “Initially director Milan Luthria and producer Bhushan Kumar felt it was apt to feature Saif in both the roles. But lately there is a surfeit of double roles beginning with Akshay Kumar in ‘Rowdy Rathore’. Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Krissh 3’ has three Hrithik Roshans. But there are too many double-hero films on the anvil. Sajid Nadiadwala is planning a series of ‘Judwaa’ films with A-lister heroes in double roles.”

The last straw for Luthria’s film was when recently Akshay Kumar’s solo-hero role in ‘Khiladi 786’ was turned into a double role.

Says the source, “Milan and Bhushan decided it was better to have another A-lister on board rather than have Saif do both the roles. So his double role has been converted into a two-hero plot.”

When contacted producer Bhushan Kumar admitted, “Initially it was a double role. But now we’re thinking of signing on another hero, Since we’re currently in the writing stage we can tweak the characters any way we want. Initially we started with a double role. Now we’re thinking of a  another powerful second hero along with Saif. There are many double-role films coming out.”

Elaborating on the project Bhushan says,  “It’s an out-and-out action film set in two cities with two heroes who do similar things in different ways in different parts of the world.”