Last seen in 'Fitoor', Lara portrays the role of public prosecutor Meera, in the biopic based on the life of the former Indian international cricketer, Mohammad Azharuddin.
"It's a challenging role and I had fun playing it because its a totally fictional character but integral to the narrative," Lara said in a statement.
She will be seen as the nemesis of Azharuddin in the film as she fights the former Indian cricketer trying to prove that he's guilty of match fixing.
As part of her preparation, the 37-year-old 'Singh is Bling' star spoke to a lawyer friend and observed her at work to understand the body language and the finer nuances of playing the part.
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Director Tony D'Souza, who earlier worked with her in 'Blue', thought Lara was perfect for the role which demanded a strong, stern look and someone who could act well.
"She went through all the legal documents pertaining to the case. We also had regular reading sessions. She really worked very hard for the role."
Produced by Ekta Kapoor, the movie stars Emraan Hashmi in the titular role besides Prachi Desai and Nargis Fakhri.
'Azhar' is slated to hit the theatres on May 13.