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Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 18, 2014)

Shekhar Kapur, who returns to feature-film direction after seven years with the much-anticipated Paani, has finally found his female lead. To be honest, it is not as much his choice as that of producer Aditya Chopra’s.
The girl who gets the prized role in Shekhar’s futuristic love story is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s child protégé in Black — Ayesha Kapur. The 11-year-old who played the deaf-mute and rebellious Michelle McNally had shown no nervousness while facing the camera with the mighty Amitabh Bachchan, who played her teacher.
Nine years later she is back as the new Yash Raj heroine and Aditya’s fave girl, with a three-film deal tucked firmly under her belt.

While the Paani team has been sworn into silence by the film’s producers, a source close to the film’s team reveals, “Shekhar’s film is a Romeo and Juliet set in futuristic Mumbai when water is the greatest wealth.”
Shekhar had approached Kristen Stewart, Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence for the role but Aditya Chopra was insistent on getting Ayesha.

The YRF head honcho sent Shekhar to meet the Black girl. He spent days talking to her before he was convinced that the 20-year-old was the best choice for the film. Ayesha moved to Mumbai from Auroville a year ago and has been undergoing various training classes like diction, acting, action etc. The Paani development, however, is recent... Because she is so young, Adi insisted on meeting her parents before signing her on. Right now the prep for Paani is on. Wait for the official announcement!