Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi has denied reports that she is making a film on Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, but admits that she has written a script called "Sinhasan" about an ambitious female politician.

Reacting to news stories about a film with Aishwarya Rai playing Rabri Devi that originated from a Hindi daily, Lajmi tells: "This is very strange! I'm certainly not making a film on the life of Rabri Devi."

"It's true that I've written a script called 'Sinhasan' which is about the life of an ambitious female politician. But this script has nothing to do with Rabri Devi. It's an entirely fictional character."

She admits Aishwarya has been approached to star in "Sinhasan". "But she hasn't agreed on paper. Though talks are on with Ash, nothing is confirmed in writing yet. But yes, she's heard and liked the subject."

Aishwarya also confirms that she has heard the story and is considering the offer.

Lajmi's next film is to star not the former Miss World Aishwarya Rai but the ex-Miss Universe Sushmita Sen. To go on the floors in the next couple of months, the hard-hitting film tentatively titled "Chingari" will also star Mithun Chakbraborty and Anuj Sawhney.

Kalpana Lajmi's "Chingari" and "Sinhasan" are two of the many hard-hitting, realistic films to hit the screen in the near future with strong, assertive female protagonists.

In November, Mahesh Dattani's haunting and lyrical "Morning Raga" marks the return of Shabana Azmi in a stunning performance. This will be followed by that sparingly subtle Tamil actress Shobana playing a Bharatanatyam dancer in Pamela Rooks' "Dance like A Man". Then, Aishwarya Rai, Namrata Shirodkar and Nadira Babbar take the lead in Gurinder Chaddha's "Bride & Prejudice" that opens next month.