After Priyanka Chopra's unavailability, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the wishlist for Shahnaz Hussain biopic

The biopic on beauty baroness, Shahnaz Hussain, being made by Puja Bedi, daughter of famed producer, Bobby Bedi, may not star Priyanka Chopra, after all. Instead, sources reveal that Bedi has now sounded the script to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Puja, who is also directing the film, was keen on casting Priyanka  but her dates are unavailable for the next two years due to her Hollywood commitments. Also, both Bedi and writer Kamlesh Pandey, who is scripting the film, feel Aishwarya will do justice to the part.

THE FIRST CHOICE

Hussain has also expressed a keen desire to have Ash on board. Pandey confirms, “Aishwarya was always our first choice.” He reveals two other contemporary actresses expressed a keen desire to essay the role of Hussain, which spans from the age of 16 to 60.  “But we want the tehzeeb and adab of the character to reflect in the actor’s DNA. The vocabulary certainly could not be that of the Facebook and Twitter generation. Aishwarya is perfect, keeping in mind all these prerequisites,” he says.

‘ASH HAS POTENTIAL’

Pandey, who also penned Ash’s comeback film Jazbaa, says, “She has immense potential in comparison to the opportunities that have come her way. Bollywood has been too preoccupied by Aishwarya Rai’s beauty to challenge the actor in her.” Pandey and Bedi are waiting to have a meeting with Ash.