By Subhash K Jha

You would think finding the right faces for a love story would be easy for Subhash Ghai. But the pursuit for a new male and female lead for his new love story Kanchi is proving more of an ache-walk than a cake-walk for the neo-Showman. Shooting just months away, the hassled Showman who in the past discovered or revamped talent such as Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala and Jackie Shroff, is in a fix.

Says a source close to the project, `Subhashji has been searching urgently for a face like Mandakini in Raj Kapoor's Ram Teri Ganga Maili. Kanchi is the story of an innocent girl from the hills and her journey into the city and the loss of her innocence. Subhashji needs a new girl from the hills with the innocence and beauty of Mandakini or Manisha.`

Even while the search for the elusive debutante haunts the filmmaker we hear he zeroed in on Kartik Tiwari the scenestealer from Luv Ranjan's sleeper hit Pyaar Ka Punchnaama for the male lead after watching rushes of Kartik's new film Aakash Vani.Apparently Subhash Ghai saw portions of Kartik's new film Aakash Vani and was bowled over by the newcomer's confidence level.

But even that tough casting decision is turning out to be problematic, what with the newcomer being under contract with Kumar Mangat, the producer of Pyaar Ka Punchnaama and Aakash Vani.

Ghai, we hear, is keen on signing Kartikeya. And a solution is being worked out, so that the young actor would be able to accommodate Ghai's film.

Luv Ranjan who directed Kartikeya in both Pyaar Ka Punchnaama and Aakash Vani admits he plans to start the Punchnaama sequel with Kartik.

Says Ranjan, `My cinematographer Sudhir Choudhary is also Subhashji's cameraperson in Kanchi. Sudhir showed Kartikeya's work in my film Aakash Vani to Subhashji. He apparently loved what he saw. We would certainly not like to stand in the way of Kartik if he gets an offer from someone as formidable as Mr Subhash Ghai. However until Aakash Vani releases we'd like him to focus only on that film.`

Luv Ranjan makes it clear he'd like his protege to move ahead. `It's not as if I'm possessive about Kartik.To me all the six newcomers in Pyaar Ka Punchnaama are equally precious and I love all of them. They're itching to start the sequel.

I couldn't go to the sequel immediately. I didn't want to be typecast as the Punchnaama director. I wanted to make a very pure love story, which Aakash Vani is, before returning to the sequel.`

While the production house that groomed this newcomer claims first-preference over Kartik's time and dates Subhash Ghai waits biting his nails.

Says a source, `He is yet to find his leading lady. The least he can do is lock in on his leading man. If only Kartik would be allowed.`

Interestingly Subhash Ghai has been known to be overly possessive about his proteges in the past. Payback time?