Shimit chooses Ranbir, leaves out Imran

Chak De India may have released one and a half years back but its director Shimit Amin is yet to get his next film on floors. While it is confirmed that Shimit, who had started his career as a director with a gritty Ab Tak Chappan, will be making his next with Yash Raj Films, there has been uncertainty around the cast of the film.

While rumour mongers have already announced the cast with Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan sharing the frame, this is far from true.

Says a source attached to the film, "These are all baseless rumours. Mischief makers just make up a cast and start announcing it all over. Now they want the world to believe that this yet untitled film would bring Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan together. Agreed that both are hot in the industry circle today and bringing them together would be a casting coup of sorts. However, it isn't happening for sure with this film."

Monica Bhattacharya, Yash Raj Films' spokesperson, too sets the record straight, "Shimit's next stars Ranbir Kapoor and that's the only truth to the story. When people write something, they don't even bother contacting the right channels. So let me put this on record that Imran Khan is not a part of this film."

Apparently, the search for the leading lady of the film is still on with no name being finalized opposite Ranbir. "That's true", says Monica, "Yash Raj Films is yet to close on the heroine for the film." She isn't willing to divulge much on the film's plot either. "There isn't anything that can be declared now. When the time is right (with Yash Raj Films releasing their yearly calendar), we would know what this film is all about from both the genre and the plot perspective."

Talking about the production house's calendar for 2009, it is surprising that the dates for their next few films are yet to be announced.

"Yash Raj Films started the trend of announcing not just the title and the cast of the film but also the exact date. They have always stuck to it as well. Yes, they have delayed it a little this year but that's ok. They don't want to announce any random date and then rollback at a later stage. You would soon hear from them, at least before the first quarter of 2009 comes to an end", says a source who wished to be unnamed.

However, it is confirmed that Shimit Amin's film would soon go on floors. "The shooting would begin soon and the film would be released before the end of 2009", signs off Monica.