/> The remake of one of Rajesh Khanna's biggest hits Aradhana is going to take a little longer than expected. The producer-director Asim Samanta intends to turn the original story of an airforce pilot and his lookalike illegitimate son into a modernday Top Gun.

Explains Samanta, `When my father made Aradhana he couldn't shoot in any air base and the scenes at the air-force base had to be fudged. Those were times when permission to access defence-related locations was impossible for filmmakers. Now paper work would take care it. We will shoot in air force bases. It was something my father couldn't do and it remained a lingering regret. `

The ambitious director says he wants to turn Aradhana into Top Gun. `I want the sequences showing the hero emerge from the fighter planes to have the same impact as Tom Cruise in Top Gun. We are working towards inducing the same level of adrenaline and authenticity in the air-base sequences. `

Asim Samanta's son Aditya will play the double role that had made Rajesh Khanan a household name after the original Aradhana.

But who will play the role of the heroine, the young girl with a son born out of wedlock who transforms into an old mother?

It's a casting that's giving Asim Samanta sleepless nights.

`I remember my father had a tough time casting for the role. Aparna Sen was almost finalized. But she opted out at the last minute. Finally Sharmila Tagore did it. She was only in her early 20s when she played the 60-year old woman. I'm hoping an equally enterprising actress would be found for the new Aradhana. `

If no actress is found to be suitable for both the young and old avatar of the unwed mother then two actresses may be signed for the same role. But the hero's double role remains unchanged.

And there's a very good reason why.

Explains Asim, `When my father was planning Aradhana the father and son's roles were supposed to be played by two actors. It was author Gulshan Nanda who suggested that the same actor play both the roles. My father said it was the best advice he got for Aradhana. I am not going to change that. `

The original evergreen songs from Aradhana-Roop tera mastana, Mere Sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu, Kora kagaz tha yeh man mera, Baaghon mein bahaar hai and Gunguna rahe hai bhanwar-will all be retained in the new Aradhana. But in a new avatar.

Says Asim, `We're keeping the songs, but we're re-cording them as per new technology. Why would I tamper with such classic songs?`