Of late, Bollywood heartthrob Fawad Khan has been in the news for teaming up with Salman Khan for the latter's next production venture Jugalbandi. However, director Nitin Kakkar of Filmistaan fame has refuted the report.

The director said that the film is still in its initial stage and they are yet to finalise the lead actor. "I haven't signed Fawad. I have read the news in papers which is surprising because I haven't signed Fawad yet. I am doing a film for Salman Khan's production and B.R. Chopra's co-production. We are meeting several actors. Nothing has been signed yet or put to paper yet," Nitin told the Indian Express. 

When asked about his opinion regarding the recent controversy surrounding Pakistani actors in India, Nitin said that artists don't belong to any religion or country. "They (artists) are pigeons of peace who carry the flag of peace in their hands. Be it cricket, theatre, music or films, if you ban them then your last hope for peace will end. Whatever is alive is because of us artists. If we hand everything to politicians they would have destroyed it by now. It's absurd and stupid which we know. The claims they are making are only for their own vote banks," he added.

A few months ago, rumour also had it that Saif Ali Khan was finalised to play the lead in Jugalbandi. However, the Rangoon actor was said to have opted out of the project and that was when Fawad was roped in. Jugalbandi is apparently based on a young London-based musician, who collaborates with a senior musician for a jugalbandi. However, the duo's friendship suffers to a great extent due to ego clashes and that forms the crux of the story. 

In other news, Fawad will next be seen in a cameo role in Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which has Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles.