by Subhash K Jha

It's definitely on. At year-end Pritish Nandy Communications commences shooting for Rituparno Ghosh's Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam.

Priyanka Chopra who has been penciled on to play the pivotal role is ecstatic. "It's a dream role. I still pinch myself into believing I'm doing Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, specially with Salman who's one of my favourite co-stars. I was heartbroken when I lost Umrao Jaan. But now I'm looking forward to this. I've never done a period film before."

Adds Pritish Nandy, "Pritish Nandy Communications has never done a period film before. It will be our most ambitious and expensive project to date. We've got Priyanka Chopra to play Bibi, Salman Khan to play Sahib and John Abraham for Ghulam. We're now looking at someone to play the second female protagonist Jaba," says Pritish Nandy.

"It's not a second lead. But how do we explain this?"

Ideally Pritish Nandy would've like Kareena Kapoor to play the whimsical Jaba. But after their confrontational roles in Abbas-Mustan's Aitraaz it's unlikely that Kareena would want to team up with Priyanka again, especially since Priyanka has the author-backed role.

So who would it be for the colitish Jaba in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam?

Possible contenders....

Amrita Rao: Pretty wholesome nice impish wild but yet conservative personality, tapped to advantage in Farah Khan's Main Hoon Na . Amrita could swing Jaba quite effectively. She has the classic features to go with it. But would audiences accept the Ishq Vishq gal in such a nostalgia-steeped role?

Vidya Balan: Done a Bengali Saratchandra classic Parineeta. Has a touch of Waheeda Rehman's dignity and grace to her personality and dances well. But known as too much of a Vidhu Vinod Chopra protégée.

Soha Ali Khan: Mama Sharmila Tagore's classic features plus an old-world grace(she prefers wearing saris to premieres) could tilt the scale in Soha's favour for Jaba. And if brother Saif has a Parineeta surely Soha should have a Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam to her credit.

Raima Sen: Not to be confused with sis Riya, Raima has a classique literary personality, tapped to advantage by Rituparno Ghosh in Chokher Bali and Vinod Chopra in Parineeta. But not star material...as yet.

Tabu: Slightly out of bounds for Jaba age-wise. But who said the character was ever meant to be Sweet 16? Tabu with her grace and intensity is the only true successor to Waheeda Rehman. Only problem...Priyanka would've to run for cover.

Kajol: A natural scene-stealer...close your eyes, and you can see Kajol singing Bhanwra bada nadaan hai in Guru Dutt's Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. She's the only actress with the guts to take on a role that's not author-backed. Remember she had offered to step into Rani's stilettos when Karan Johar couldn't cast for the second lead in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?