Mumbai, Sep 17 (IANS): Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia features in Hansal Mehta's forthcoming film "Shahid". Mehta says the movie has become more special with friends like Dhulia supporting it for free.

When Mehta approached Dhulia for an important role in the film, he agreed to it without a second thought. Moreover, he decided not to charge a penny for the role.

"Tigmanshu is a colleague whose work I have admired ever since he was directing for television. Asking him to act in 'Shahid' was a spontaneous decision taken after my casting director Mukesh Chhabra told me that how brilliant he was in 'Gangs of Wasseypur'," Mehta said in a statement.

Mehta has praised Dhulia whole-heartedly.

"Every festival that the film has been screened at, has the audience in splits at Tishu's (Dhulia's) cameo. He is a brilliant (though reluctant) actor. His look, performance and characterisation is perfectly in sync with the thread of realism and underlying humor that my film has.

"'Shahid' is a special film and friends like Tishu have made my film that much more special by going all out to support me," he said.

UTV Motion Pictures' "Shahid", which features actor Rajkumar Yadav as lawyer Shahid Azmi, is slated to release Oct 18.