Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 22, 2018)

Mirror (August 11) was the first to report that after delivering hits like Mani Ratnam’s O Kadhal Kanmani, Anjali Menon’s Bangalore Days and Martin Prakkat’s Charlie, Malayalam actor and son of veteran South actor Mammootty, Dulquer Salmaan is to make his Bollywood debut with Ronnie Screwvala’s Karwaan which also features Irrfan Khan and Mithila Palkar. While reports of the 31-year-old actor signing many new films have been doing the rounds, we have learnt that Dulquer has given his nod to a Sonam Kapoor-starrer, a screen adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s 2008 novel The Zoya Factor. “It’s an interesting character and Dulquer has liked the script. While he has committed to the project he is yet to sign on the dotted line,” informs a source.

The fictional story revolves around Zoya Singh Solanki and the younger players in India’s cricket team, who after discovering that the advertising executive was born at the very moment when India won the World Cup in 1983 and that having breakfast with her ensures victory, decide she is their lucky charm. Pursued by international cricket boards and wooed by advertisers, Zoya struggles to stay grounded in the thick of World Cup action. It doesn’t help that she keeps clashing with the brilliant new skipper who tells her that he doesn’t believe in luck.

In August, Sonam had confirmed that she is a part of the film. “Super excited to work with amazing sister duo, Aarti and Pooja Shetty, with the brilliant Abhishek Sharma on Anuja Chauhan’s Zoya factor (sic),” she had announced on the social media.

The actress is currently busy with the promotions of R Balki’s Pad Man, with Akshay Kumar in the titular role, and the filming of her home production, Veere Di Wedding, also featuring Kareena Kapoor. “The Zoya Factor is expected to roll sometime in March-April,” adds the source.

When contacted, Rucha Pathak of Fox Star Studios who is producing the film did not deny the news, saying instead, “We are yet to finalise the cast and will soon make the announcement.”