Mallika Sherawat is about to run you out of the stadium.
The indefatigable newsmaker is all set to play a Jat athlete, a national-level sprinter to boot, in debutant direct Afzal Ahmad Rizvi's Lucky Unlucky. And she's taking the role in the light-hearted romantic comedy, dead seriously.
Taking a cue from Farhan Akhtar who plays sprinter Milkha Singh in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's upcoming film, a special trainer has been hired to make Sherawat fit enough for the role of a Haryanvi national running -champ.
Apparently, the same trainer who has been hired for Akhtar has been hired to train her for Lucky Unlucky.
Says a source, "It was the film's male lead, Sonu Sood who suggested Mallika's name. Mallika and Sonu got along like a house on fire when she shot for the Tamil version of the Munni Badnaam song.
Sonu told Mallika about the role of a Haryanvi sprinter. The sport that she is, Mallika immediately agreed."
Apparently, Sood who plays the lead against Sherawat will help the actress get the athletic side of her character right. Says the source, "Sonu is one of fittest actors in Bollywood. He plays a more serious, strong and silent kind of character.
Mallika is this chirpy vivacious and talkative girl. Mallika plays 'Lucky', Sonu is 'Unlucky'. The film takes the incompatible pair through a road journey in North India."
Plans are said to be afoot to incorporate intimate scenes between the two in an attempt to cash in on their chemistry.
Says a source close to the project, "Sonu and Mallika look smashing together. They play an unlikely couple thrown together. But now seeing how well they get along, the script is now being revised to include some intimacy between the pair."
"It's a funny script. In fact, when Mallika heard some of the scenes, she fell off her chair laughing. She's excited about her role, and so am I. Her part requires concentrated training. She's in LA right now but she has already started preparing for the part, " said Sood.
The film will be directed by Peepli Live director Anusha Ruzvi's brother Afzal Ahmed.