In his quest for unconventional casting, Bengali filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh has gone a step further and cast Arjun Rampal opposite Katrina Kaif for the adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's classic Debi Choudhurani.

When doubts were expressed as to how Bankim Chandra would have reacted to two of the most hip actors in Mumbai getting into his literary space, Ghosh told: "I go by the look of the character. I see Arjun fitting the bill as well as Katrina.

"In the novel, the role I've in mind for Arjun is not as substantial. I've fleshed out the character, made it more rounded and multi-dimensional. Arjun's is now a pivotal role. "

The decision to cast Arjun, who is playing an important role in his English language film "The Last Lear", was determined by Ghosh's hush-hush meeting with the actor last month.

"Arjun flew down to Kolkata to meet me. Our meeting went really well. He's keen to work with me. And I feel there's something there that can be tapped into," said Ghosh.

"He brings out something new in every actor," said Arjun, who wowed the audience with his performance in the recently-released Om Shanti Om.

He plays a devious producer who kills his wife Shanti Priya, played by debutant Deepika Padukone.

As for how much justice Katrina and Arjun would do to the literary adaptation we can only take Ghosh's word for it.