/> The resourceful Aparna Sen who's in the process of completing her latest Bengali film The Japanese Wife with Rahul Bose in the lead, is ready to hit the road with her first Hindi film Gulel.

Says Aparna, "For Gulel I really want Abhishek and I know Abhishek wants to do the role. He has said yes. In fact earlier on he had even allotted dates when the late Ismail Merchant's nephew Naeem wanted to make it.

Abhishek told Naeem that if Aparna Sen is doing Gulel he'd do it. Then Ismail died and the project fell apart. But I'm ready to make Gulel with Abhishek as soon as he gives the dates."

Abhishek says he had an affinity to Bengal and Bengalis. "At the moment, there're lots of films under consideration. I'm on the verge of completing Laga Chunri Mein Daag. That was great fun. I've known the director Pradeep Sarkar from before. We've done a couple of ads before. It was a very sweet unit.

They had already shot for 8-9 before I joined them. But I immediately felt at home. And yes, there were lots of Bengalis including my mom, the director and Rani who's a good friend, on the sets. I do love working with Bengalis.

I've worked in two Bengali films with Ritu-da (Rituparno Ghosh) in Antar Mahal and in a film called Desh directed by Raja Sen where I played my own mom's son. It would be delightful to work with Aparna Sen."