Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; June 1, 2016)

Aamir Khan’s former manager Advait Chandan is donning the director’s hat for the very first time and while the star is lending support by producing his film, wife Kiran Rao has taken on the role of a mentor. The filmmaker is supervising Chandan’s directorial debut, which recently got rolling in Vadodara. The untitled project features newcomers and Aamir, who is also slated to be part of the film, will shoot for it at a later date.

Says a source, “Though there had been buzz about the film for the past year, the shoot has just started. Kiran has been shuttling between Vadodara and Mumbai. Even when she is here, she is aware of the daily shoot schedules.”

After her directorial venture Dhobi Ghaat (2010), Kiran co-produced Peepli [ Live] (2010) and Delhi Belly (2011). Adds the source, “It has been a while since Kiran found herself on a film set. She keeps herself busy with the daily shoot schedules of Advait’s film and has been sharing her inputs with him too.” The film’s spokesperson confirms the story, saying, “Kiran has been overseeing the project.”

As a producer earlier, Kiran did not involve herself in the daily shoot process, but since Advait shared a good working relationship with Aamir and handled his work for five years, there is a connect with him. When he first narrated his script to Aamir and Kiran, the latter felt it should be made into a film and asked Aamir to produce it.

While the star cast has been kept under wraps, buzz is that Aamir’s character is that of a music composer. The film revolves around an adolescent girl who aspires to be a singing superstar. In July 2015, Aamir had tweeted about the specifications needed in the girl. He had posted: “Hey guys, need your help to spread the word.” They were on the lookout for a 12-to 17-year-old who could sing for the lead role.

There has been speculation that the film is titled Secret Superstar, and also that the makers were toying with the idea of going ahead with Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamannah Hai. But, the film’s spokesperson says, “The title has not been finalised yet.”