Akshay's close friend and business associate Vipul Shah who's currently producing the Hindi version of the Telugu hit Kakha Kakha with John Abraham, will produce Murugadoss's second Hindi film too.
No stone is being left unturned to make sure that the Akshay-Murugadoss team comes up with a whammy as big as Ghajini. Though tightlipped about the project, Vipul Shah is all set to spend whopping Rs 20-25 crores on the action sequences alone.
Akshay's brief to the director. "I've a reputation for delivering stunts. Make sure the action rocks."
Unlike Ghajini, Murugadoss' second film is not a remake of one of his Tamil-Telugu hits.
Speaking from Chennai the shy dimunitive director says, "Yes, my screenplay for the film with Akshay Kumar is an original, not a remake of one of my Tamil films. Like Ghajini it is basically a love story with a strong action base."
The film starts shooting in January 2011.
On meeting Akshay over the project Murugadoss was told to make the violence "more fun than gory". The reference to Ghajini's stomach-churning brutalization of Asin's character was not lost on the director who is at the moment busy brushing up his Hindi.
During Ghajini Murugadoss couldn't speak or understand a word of Hindi. "But I'm changing that. By the time Akshay and I start working together I'd be much better able to understand Hindi."
Though Murugadoss is not yet willing to divulge the name of the female lead in his Akshay starrer, Ghajini gal Asin, whom producer Vipul Shah is very fond of, and came close to signing for the Hindi remake of Kakha Kakha, is apparently the chosen one.
Two years ago Asin had opted out of making her debut with Akshay Kumar in Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan because she had found the role insubstantial.
Not one to hold grudges, Akshay constantly on the prowl for fresh co-stars, has given the nod to Asin.
Says Murugadoss, "We haven't really decided on Akshay's co-star. But yes, Asin is a strong contender."
Incidentally Murugadoss' project with Shah Rukh Khan is still on. "We've met and he's liked my idea. We've to work out details."