There are strong rumours that Ajay Devgan will play the main lead in Mani Ratnam's new multistarrer. The film already stars Vivek Oberoi and Abhishek Bachchan.

Devgan and Oberoi earlier worked together in Ram Gopal Varma's Company (Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Antara Mali, Seema Biswas).

Bold and beautiful

She exuded oomph as the hot Esha in Hansal Mehta's Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai. Now Payal Rohatgi will feature in Mahesh Manjrekar's English version of Astitva (Tabu, Sachin Khedekar, Namrata Shirodkar), It Rained That Night (Sushmita Sen, Manjrekar).

Unlike in the original Hindi version, this one includes a younger sister who has been introduced to encourage the neglected wife to have an extramarital affair.

Payal reveals, "I play a married girl. I have some hot scenes. The intimacy between my husband and me triggers Sushmita Sen's [reprising Tabu's role] need for a lover. My character has been specially introduced."

Brothers-in-arms

Anil Kapoor and his younger brother, Sanjay, are expected to star together on screen for the first time in Rajiv Khandelwal's untitled venture. 

Exit acting, enter production

Mahesh Manjrekar will direct Maneck Bedi's debut production.

Bedi, who had an indifferent stint as an actor in films like Ram Aur Shyam (Divya Dutta) and Maseeha (Suniel Shetty, Namrata Shirodkar) says, "Suniel Shetty will play the lead. Manjrekar, too, will act in the film. I will announce the female lead and remaining cast shortly."