The Hindi remake of 'Ayyappanum Koshiyum' was being planned with John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead roles but few days ago, Abhishek apparently walked out of the project. Makers were on the lookout for a replacement for him so that they can take the film on floors without delay. Buzz suggests that Arjun Kapoor has taken Abhishek's place and the project will go on as planned.

A source close to the development shared, "Both the actors are currently shooting for Ek Villain Returns. They have got along really well. John discussed the idea of getting Arjun on board the film with Jagan Shakti, who insisted on a meeting with the actor. The two met on the sets and discussed the plot. While John will play the role of Biju Menon from the original film, Arjun steps into Prithviraj’s shoes."

The source further added, "While the original film was set in Kerala and Ooty, the remake will be shot in Bihar and Jharkhand. The film is dialogue heavy and according to the director Bihar and Jharkhand are perfect setting. The milieu of the film needs a rustic terrain. Both the actors will have to learn the dialects. In fact John will also be seen losing his muscle weight for the film and will have a leaner physique."

The film is supposed to go on floors by December.