Sonakshi Sinha has been finalized to play the lead opposite Rajnikanth in K Ravikumar's next film.

However the offer was accepted only after the yawning age difference between the two actors was justified.

Says a source close to the family, `Shatruji and Rajnikanthji are contemporaries. When the two of them worked together in K C Bokadia's Asli Naqli Sonakshi was running around on the sets in frocks! Now to be offered a role opposite him is a bit like cradle-snatching.`

Informs the Sinhas' close associate, `She wanted to work with Rajni Sir, who doesn't? And Rajni Sir has worked with heroines who are almost as young as Sonakshi.Working with younger heroines is no big deal in the Mumbai film industry. Even Kareena Kapoor was just a kid running around on the sets when Akshay Kumar worked with Kareena's sister Karisma. Later Akshhay and Kareena were fine as a screen pair.Sonakshi has worked with actors far older than her including Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. `


According to a source in Chennai, director K Ravikumar who has hit on the brainwave of casting Rajnkanth with Sonakshi ,re-worked the script to justify the age difference.

Says the Chennai source, `When Rajnikanth's arch-rival Kamal Haasan had cast Sonakshi in Vishwaroopam it was the role of a woman married to a man far older than she. Sonakshi had backed out feigning a date problem.If Sonakshi is going to be cast with Rajnikath who is far older than Kamal, the pairing would have to be rationalized for the North Indian audiences. In the South Rajni Sir's fans are used to seeing him work with heroines his daughter's age.`