Abhishek Bachchan portrays Bob Biswas in ‘Kahaani’ spin-off

Over a year ago, the film, "Bob Biswas" was announced, much to the excitement of Bollywood fans. But before the Bob Biswas fandom could erupt with sheer joy, there was a catch: The titular character would be played not by Saswata Chatterjee, but by Abhishek Bachchan.

Those who watched the Vidya Balan starrer "Kahaani" in 2012 would remember Bob Biswas, the cold-blooded and deceptive contract killer who 'silenced' people with his muted revolver after politely greeting them with a "Nomoshkar" (hello). The iconic character played by Bengali actor Saswata Chatterjee was well received by fans and critics alike.

Saswata Chatterjee as Bob Biswas.

When photos of Abhishek shooting for "Bob Biswas" in Kolkata went viral on social media last year, people were quickly convinced that he will be able to pull off the character. Abhishek was dressed in a plain shirt with full sleeves and baggy trousers. His hair had a mid-partition and his mysterious look was complete with a pair of spectacles. Many felt that playing the iconic character would be an uphill task for the actor, but were looking forward to seeing him in action.

The trailer of "Bob Biswas" was unveiled recently. Featuring Abhishek Bachchan in the titular character, it gives a glimpse into the complicated journey of a middle-aged hitman-for-hire, who does not remember any details about his life and his past, including his wife and children.

As he tries to remember his identity, episodes from his past come alive, and the trailer shares a peek into his moral dilemma between embracing his criminal past versus his newly developed sense of right and wrong.

Abhishek's father, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan wrote, "I am proud to say you are my son!", in response to the trailer on social media. 

T 4100 - I am proud to say you are my Son ! ... BYCMJBBN .. !!  https://t.co/yk3BIzJIEb

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) November 19, 2021

However, many talked about how Chatterjee was the reason the character, even though not a lead, became an iconic one in 2012. Others expressed that Abhishek might give a good spin to the character and do justice to the part.

No doubt Abhishek Bachchan will nail this role, but #Swastha_Chatterjee as BOB BISWAS is an Emotion https://t.co/OPstOCmXpD

— Sanmit Adawadkar (@SanmitAdawadkar) November 18, 2021

"Bob Biswas" is directed by Diya Annapurna Ghosh and written by Sujoy Ghosh. It is  produced by Gauri Khan, Sujoy Ghosh, and Gaurav Verma.

The film is set to premiere on December 3, 2021, on ZEE5.