Aishwarya Rai is all set to play the protagonist in a film based on the work of an Indian American author and having the "Bend It Like Beckham" trademark to it.

Still in a nascent stage, the movie has "Bend it.." director Gurinder Chaddha's husband Paul Burgess behind the cameras and veteran actors like Anupam Kher cast alongside the Bollywood beauty.

The film is adapted from a novel, "Mistress of Spices", by US-based Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

"We have confirmed Aishwarya, Anupam Kher and Nitin Ganatra among the Indian actors for our next film which is based in the US," tells Burgess.

"The film is about a lady in the US who deals in Indian spices. Gurinder and I have adapted the novel," adds Burgess.

The novel draws the reader into the mystical world of Tilo (to be played by Aishwarya) and her Indian spice shop.

Tilo tends to those who step into her shop with her magic-infused spices but little thinks of her own desires until a lonely American steps through the door one evening.

Aishwarya has already worked with Chaddha in a film based on the novel "Pride and Prejudice".

So far, the titles of Chaddha's films have begun with 'B'.

"We are finally Indians, no matter where we go. We are still superstitious. Someone told me that the letter B will bring me luck," says Chaddha.

"It has worked for me and that's why I have stuck with the concept!" she adds.