Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 6, 2019)

Ever since Akshay Kumar evinced interest in the remake of the Tamil hit, Muni 2: Kanchana (2011), there has been much speculation about the female lead for the Bollywood adaptation.

As is the norm with a big-ticket project, several actors - including Katrina Kaif and showbiz's current sensation Sobhita Dhulipala - were said to be in contention for the role, but both denied the reports. The past few days saw another name doing the rounds - Kiara Advani of Lust Stories (2018). In the latest development, mid-day has learnt that Advani has indeed been signed on for the horror comedy. Tentatively titled Laxmi, the film will go on floors by mid-April and is likely to be shot in a start-to-finish schedule.

Says a trade source, "While Akshay plays the protagonist who gets possessed by the spirit of a transgender, Kiara will portray the superstar's girlfriend in the movie. Although the female lead did not have a significant role in the original version, Kiara will enjoy a substantial part in the adaptation. The script too has been tweaked to suit the sensibilities of the Hindi film audience." Interestingly, this will mark Advani's second outing with Kumar after the in-the-works Good News.

The Raghava Lawrence-directed venture, the second instalment in his Muni franchise, had become a money-spinner upon its release in 2011. Its runaway success had spawned off remakes across several languages. Producers Shabina Khan and Tusshar Kapoor picked up the remake rights last year, following which the scripting team has been hard at work to give it a North Indian flavour. Lawrence will helm the Hindi offering. when contacted, Khan confirmed the story, saying, "Yes, we have signed Kiara for the Kanchana remake."