Anil Kapoor joins Mission Impossible 4

After being a part of ventures like the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire and the Fox series “24”, Bollywood’s veteran actor Anil Kapoor has now signed on to appear in the fourth sequel of Tom Cruise’s action thriller Mission Impossible. Confirming the news, Kapoor told the Times of India, “I have been contacted for Mission Impossible 4 and I have said yes.”

“Someone up there is looking out for me,” said the happy actor while talking to reporters at Karan Johar and Varun Behl’s show at India Couture Week in Mumbai.

In Mission Impossible 4, Kapoor will be sharing the screen space with Cruise, who reprises his character as Impossible Missions Force operative Ethan Hunt. Older cast members returning to the franchise include returnees Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg. Among the new cast members are The Hurt Locker star Jeremy Renner, Josh Holloway and Paula Patton.

Kapoor will reportedly play a negative role. The film is expected to have a budget exceeding $150 million.

The next, and possibly the final, instalment of the action franchise is slated to hit US theatres on December 16, 2011.  “Mission Impossible 4 will most likely be the last of the sequels,” said Sarabjit Singh, India head of Paramount Pictures.

Directed by Brad Bird, some parts of the film will be shot in Rajasthan, India, reports India Times.

For Kapoor, it was Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning film that propelled him into the global spotlight. He played the game show host in Slumdog Millionaire, which referenced the popular TV show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” and was based on the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup.

The star also made his debut on US television with the last season of Fox series “24”, an action-drama series starring Kiefer Sutherland in the lead as special agent Jack Bauer. The show is presented in the semblance of real time, with each 24-episode season covering 24 hours in the life of Bauer. Kapoor appeared in the eighth and final season of the show and played the head of a fictional Middle Eastern country.

Kapoor believes his work abroad has been uplifting. “The experience has been very enriching and educative - something which I’ve never had. It was wonderful and creatively very uplifting. It has given me tremendous exposure. Never in my 30-year career have I got this kind of appreciation.”

Anil Kapoor’s future projects include possible sequels to the Bollywood films Race, No Entry and Mr India.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2010.