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Under wraps

Shah Rukh Khan. Click for bigger pic!

Sharmila Taliculam

So, after Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Dil To Pagal Hai, what is Aditya Chopra doing?

The latest news doing the rounds of the industry is that he's signed Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan for his next venture film. In the same film, Uday Chopra, Yash's youngest, breaks family tradition and becomes an actor.

Karishma Kapoor. Click for bigger pic!

The film is slated to have five heroes, three of whom we've named. The fourth is rumoured to be Jugal Hansraj and there isn't even any gossip doing the rounds about who the fifth could be.

Jugal says he isn't confirmed for the film yet. "Adi and I are good friends. I have sat in on the music session of the film. But he hasn't told me that I am being cast in the film yet. I think the rumours started because we move around together a lot. But Adi just has to say he wants me in the film and I'll be there."

Jugal Hansraj. Click for bigger pic!

Uday Chopra could have a pretty solid debut if it's his successful brother, Aditya, who's directing him. And the fact that Shah Rukh and Amitabh too figure in the cast could do his stocks some good.

"They (the Chopras) are looking for fresh faces, and Uday stands a better chance because he always wanted to be an actor. I am not sure about anything else about the film. They might be looking for some new actresses too," says Jugal, confirming the fifth hero hasn't been fixed yet.

Amitabh Bachchan. Click for bigger pic!

The heroines are being finalised though they haven't been named yet. Our source says Karishma and Kajol are being considered, but it's still in early days yet.

The story? It's the next biggest secret after the detailed plans of the PSLV-III. There are two reasons for this: one, the industry's fear that a story told is a flop foretold and, two, because of the very practical fear that someone will filch the story. Things are so tight that the unit members, even the cast, haven't a clue about the storyline.

Uday Chopra.

They've been told that they'll have the details after the team is finalised and once the music sessions are done.

"Adi has promised all friends a story sitting after about three months. Just before he starts to shoot the film", says Jugal.

Sharmistha Roy, who's been the Chopras' art director since Darr, hasn't much to say either.

Aditya Chopra.

"I've been given a narration about what it could be like, but I can't say much about the story since everybody is very closed about it. Also, I'm not allowed to talk about it yet." Well, we tried, didn't we?

The film is slated to go on the floors in another three or four months. So all that remains certain is that Bachchan and Khan star in the film.

But expectations are high, and, going by Aditya Chopra's record, they're unlikely to be belied.