MUMBAI: Percept Picture Company (PPC) has trashed reports that it has backed out of Shoojit Sircar’s Johnny Walker, which stars Amitabh Bachchan.

PPC CEO Preet Bedi told Businessofcinema.com, “Percept is producing Johnny Walker. We have not backed out of the project. Within a few days, we will have the complete shooting schedule in hand. Amitabh Bachchan’s company AB Corp Ltd is co-producing the film, as Bachchan is creatively involved with the script of the film.”

Adds Shoojit Sircar, “As far as I know, Percept is producing the film and Bachchan is creatively involved with the making of the film. In the past one year, I have had as many as 15-16 creative sessions with Bachchan and some even during the shooting of his other films. I know nothing beyond this.”

Rumours have been rife that since Bachchan had evinced increasing creative interest in the film, PPC found it a hindrance in their operations and chose to opt out. Sircar was left without a financer as Bachchan would be contributing only creatively towards the project and not financially, reports indicated.

“The shooting should commence by mid 2007. Besides Bachchan, Sameera Reddy, Pankaj Kapur and Arshad Warsi too have been signed on for the film. I am keen on signing Vidya Balan who has shown interest in the film,” informs Sircar.

“Johnny Walker is about taking a second chance in life at the age of sixty, after a couple has been married for 25 years. It’s a film that inspires self-introspection and shows how the couple rediscovers itself. Bachchan is playing the male lead, the female lead is yet to be finalised,” he concludes.