The buzz has been making its rounds for quite sometime now... After giving a successful comedy caper 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, director Rajkumar Santoshi is returning back to serious stuff. Making Amitabh Bachchan to play the lead, Santoshi is gearing up to present his forthcoming, 'The Outsider', similar on the lines of 'Damini' and 'Ghayal'.

Being heavily laced with grittiness, 'The Outsider' is said to be sans songs, with powerful background scores instead.

Written by Santoshi and Sriram Raghavan, sources revealed that the film is based on the tale of an elderly NRI’s struggle abroad. Terming the film as one-man crusade, Santoshi said, "The Outsider is a story of man’s fight for justice and tolerance. It’s the story of a hero who stands up for what he thinks is right, even if it means losing everything."

Having played various roles, Big B is said to include yet another distinct character role with this one. According to the director, in 'The Outsider' the veteran actor is placed in an ambivalent position. "The challenge is to project this amazing actor in a new light. In The Outsider Mr Bachchan’s character controls the entire plot and its movements," Santoshi stated to sources.

What is more interesting is that for the first time Amitabh said to be working with an American cast and crew. The shooting is expected to start in New York from June and said to go on till September.