Roles of younger version of superstars in Sudhir Mishra's epic story Mehrunissa is up for grabs

Are you in your 20s, and do you think you resemble Amitabh Bachchan or Rishi Kapoor?

If your answer is yes to both questions, then you could very well be chosen to play the two icons' younger versions in Sudhir Mishra's Mehrunissa. But hang on.

You also need to be talented. A nationwide-hunt is on for the epic love story now that the Big B and Kapoor have agreed to come together for the film.

Says write Nikhil Advani, "It's a tall order. We have to find new faces and they've to be exceptionally talented to play the same roles that actors Mr Bachchan and Mr Rishi Kapoor are playing.

Even if we find young aspirants who resemble the two icons, we have to make then perform with equal conviction."

Advani is no stranger to such casting hazards. "In Patiala House, I had to find a boy to play Akshay Kumar's younger version as well as a young actor who would look convincing as a younger version of Rishi Kapoor.

We did find a young man who looked like Akshay, but we failed to find a Rishi Kapoor lookalike. So we made do with long shots of an actor who looked little like the original."

This time long shots won't do. Says Advani, "The younger actors have to emote in close-ups. I think Sudhir Mishra and I are in deep trouble."

Also hunting...

A nationwide hunt is on to find a Juliet for Issaq, the desi adaptation of William Shakespeare's doomed love story Romeo and Juliet.

The Hindi version, to be directed by Manish Tiwary, will be set in Banaras. While the producers have found their perfect Romeo in Parteik, they seem to be struggling to find his celluloid ladylove.

Divulging the brief given to them for selecting Juliet, a source from the production house says, "She has to look very good with Prateik in order to have a great chemistry on screen.

Our Juliet shouldn't look older than 18, and should have the body language and mannerisms of a small-town girl.

Her character is romantic, tender and yet very strong-headed. She matches Romeo both in intelligence and wit."

The source adds that the team is finding it difficult to find a girl with all the above-mentioned qualities. "Manish has personally auditioned close to one hundred girls.