Upala KBR (DNA; March 7, 2014)

There were three contenders (Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan Kapur and Deepika Padukone) for Madhur Bhandarkar’s next Madamji — based around an actress-turned politician’s life. But PC has beaten the other two to the finishing line.

This will be her second film with the director after Fashion (2008). This socio-politico-thriller is about an actress who switches to politics, rises to power and the situations she faces and people she meets along the way. Madhur is known to make films inspired by real people and stories. And this one sounds like it is based on the life of Jayalalithaa (AIADMK leader and current chief minister of Tamil Nadu, fondly called Amma by her followers).

An insider says, “Madhur has never repeated his heroines. Page 3 had Konkana Sen Sharma, Chandni Bar starred Tabu, Corporate featured Bipashu Basu, Traffic Signal’s leading lady was Neetu Chandra and Kareena Kapoor played the main lead in Heroine. He wanted to work with Priyanka after Fashion. When he was writing the script of Madam Jee, the story of a strong woman’s journey through life, he pictured PC in the role. Everyone knows that in Madhur’s films, the actresses play the protagonists and that is also true of Madamji. It will also be a realistic film as all Madhur’s films.”

A source informs. “Currently, Madhur is in Spain for a recce, and when he returns, he will finalise PC’s dates. Though she has given her nod to the film, she is trying her best to work out the dates for this year. Priyanka is already committed to three films this year — the bio-pic on Mary Kom, Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne Do, and Prabhudheva’s film opposite Saif Ali Khan. So if she cannot give him this year, Madhur has decided to start his film next year, as he feels no other actress can do justice to the role.