Kangana Ranaut to play Simran

The much-touted Divine Lovers, which was to star Irrfan Khan along with Kangana Ranaut, has hit a roadblock. Kangana is no longer part of the film, which has set the makers on a hunt for another heroine. The Indo-French co-production put together by the French film commission, Film France, was to receive a mainstream cinema release in France. It was to be a first of its kind film with a mixed crew of Indian and French technicians. 

Producer Shailesh R Singh of Pathé affirms, “We are now shooting Divine Lovers in the second quarter of 2016 which is why Kangana is no longer doing it. We were to shoot the film around September this year but the film got delayed. Kangana had committed to other films including Rangoon and another production of mine, Simran and then, she begins Lakshmibai. She told us a few months ago that she would not be able to do Divine Lovers because of date issues. Kangana will wrap Rangoon by February. After that we will start Simran in March.” 

He further explains, “The Divine Lovers script wasn’t ready. As it’s an Indo-French project with a treaty and rights involved, it’s a complicated, long-drawn out process. We have to send the script to France for their approval and communications take time. Right now we are looking at another actress to take her place. It’s too premature to talk about the film’s casting right now. Irrfan had evinced keen interest after hearing the first draft but we will have to take the final draft to him before he says yes. I have worked very closely with him and he’s part of the Divine Lovers’ production.”