When it was announced that Akshay Kumar had been signed up for the sequel of Balaji's Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, there was major excitement and curiosity about the unexpected choice of actor. The announcement was followed by months of speculation around who was going to play the parallel lead.

The industry's most widely speculated casting has been revealed.

The makers have confirmed Imran Khan, who, with this one, bags a heavy-duty addition to his kitty of films.

Riding high after a string of consecutive hits like Delhi Belly, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Imran will make his first foray into a franchise product with the mammoth sequel.

According to trade sources, the film's formidable and unconventional casting has made it among the biggest and most keenly anticipated industry features.

Says director Milan Luthria, "The uniqueness of pairing Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi in the original made people sit up and applaud.

By casting Akshay and Imran together for the first time, we've pulled off the casting coup of the year. Both the stars are diverse in their appeal, style and presence. Just like Akshay, Imran was electrified by the script that Rajat (Aroraa) and I have worked on!"

According to producer Ekta Kapoor, "We couldn't have asked for a better actor than Imran to play Aslam. Not only does he fit the role to the tee but also enjoys an unprecedented fan following as a star. We welcome him to Balaji and look forward to working with him on the second edition of our franchise. "

The high-romance action-drama goes into production in July and releases early next year.