MUMBAI – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has stayed away from the big screen for two years now; her last release was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish (2010). So any news of her return is bound to make headlines. But in a surprising casting decision, her next film might be opposite 25-year-old Varun Dhawan who is all of one-film old (Student Of The Year; 2012).
“Nothing is finalised yet, but (director) Sriram Raghavan has reached out to Aishwarya and Varun. Neither of them want to talk about it yet, since things are at an initial stage,” says a trade insider, adding, “In the last two weeks, Varun and Sriram have met a few times to discuss the project. Varun is believed to be a big fan of the kind of films Sriram is known for.”
To be produced by Ramesh Taurani, the film is tipped to be a dark thriller. While Varun is believed to be almost confirmed, the makers are waiting for a response from Aishwarya. “If all goes well, the film should kick off later this year,” adds the insider.
Meanwhile, Varun is busy with his father David Dhawan’s directorial project, Main Tera Hero, being produced by Ekta Kapoor. Aishwarya, on the other hand, has been on a break since her pregnancy, and the subsequent birth of Aaradhya — her daughter with Abhishek Bachchan — in 2011.
While Sriram was unavailable for a comment, Taurani says, “We have signed Sriram, and work is underway on the script. Once that is ready, we will look at casting.” Sriram last directed the Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor-starrer Agent Vinod (2012).
