/> If the Jhankar Beats director Sujoy Ghosh had his way he would have cast the Big B in a realistic train drama called Borivili two years ago.

"But that didn't work out," he tells me from his home in Darlington. "But I'll make Borivili only with AB. But now my dream---and why only mine every director's dream—is coming true. I'm directing Mr Bachchan in a film to be produced by the Sippys(Ramesh and Rohan Sippy)."

Tentatively entitled Alladin & The Mystery Of The Lamp, this film , to go on the floors next year, is expected to take children's cinema from India to an international level.

The interesting part of this new collaboration isn't the fact that yet another new young director is ready to realize his dream of directing the Big B.

It's what Sujoy plans to do with the Bachchan that gives this project an edge. "I'm making a children's fantasy...an Arabian nights kind of spectacle with the best possible special effects and the most advanced technique of storytelling," says Ghosh.

It looks like Krissh, followed by Dhoom 2 has brought in the magic of high-octane FX into Bollywood. Sujoy's film will have some of the most eye-catching spectacle ever seen in Indian cinema.

"In fact I'm right now scouting for international talent to do the special-effects. I've my wish-list of technicians and I hope to get them all. We'll arrive at an approximate budget only after the special effects are in place.

But it's bound to be LARGE. Mr Bachchan is very clear about the fact that if he's doing a children's film the production value has to be on a par with international standards. " Sujoy says with supreme confidence.

"Ha, the confidence comes from getting to work with the world's best star-actor. You've to admit working with AB is a dream come true, a long-cherished fantasy. That's why I'm making a fantasy film with him."

This won't be AB's first fantasy(he did Shashi Kapoor's Ajooba many years ago). But it would certainly be his first children's film. And almost certainly the only time he'll get to play a djinn.