Ex-lovers/moneymakers? After Ranbir-Deepika it's Kareena and Hrithik

It can well be termed as the casting coup of the season as Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar manages to bring together estranged "good friends" Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan back on-screen.

And bringing the exes together to work magic for his Dharma Production and set the cash registres ringing at the box office is becoming quite a habit for this director.

Trust Karan Johar to do the unimaginable! He did it in 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' with Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor and is still reaping the benefits.

In India, 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' collected Rs 107.61 crores (INR) in the first week becoming the highest grosser of 2013 and third all-time highest grosser in Indian cinema. This was Deepika and Ranbir's first movie after their much publicised break-up.

Their sizzling chemistry and unmistakable camaraderie saw sparks flying in their personal lives as well.

Speculations were rife about reel life taking over real life and Ranbir further, in his inebriated state, blurring the line of friendship in the success party of the movie.

Karan Johar did his trick and was quite impressed with the on-screen magic created by the lead actors.

The filmmaker further went on to bring the other two famously rumoured exes together - Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan.

(AFP)

Smiling from ear to ear after casting a spell on the ex-lovers Deepika and Ranbir, Karan now casts Kareena and Hrithik for his next film, a sprawling reincarnation saga 'Shuddhi'.

Karan recently confirmed that Hrithik and Kareena are very much a part of the next Dharma Production venture.
 
The filmmaker, who worked with the two in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', told Bombay Times, "I'm excited to see Hrithik and Kareena back after 12 years."

Karan believes that Kareena and Hrithik are the right choice for the roles because he required actors who can bring the desired intensity among them.

Alright then fans can expect to see lot of intense drama in 'Shuddhi'.
 
The film is said to be an intense love story with a reincarnation theme weaved in a dramatic form and will be helmed by Karan Malhotra of 'Agneepath' (2012) fame.

Bollywood adaptation of 'The Immortals of Meluha' - 'Shuddhi' will have Hrithik playing the male lead as Shiva and Kareena as Princess Sati.

The two have worked together in movies like 'Yaadein', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...', 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge!' and 'Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon'.

They were considered as one of the hottest couples of Bollywood, but the duo stopped working together when the rumours of an affair between the two hit the headlines.

Rumour has it, when Hrithik's wife Sussanne Khan got the whiff of the romance she packed her bag and left his home. A very prominent magazine carried a cover story of Hrithik-Kareena romance at that time. Hrithik's father Rakesh Roshan did not let this matter go lightly and planned to sue the magazine.
 
Hrithik and Kareena did a couple of films during that period but then decided to part ways in 2003. Hrithik returned to his childhood sweetheart Sussanne Khan and Kareena is now happily married to Saif Ali Khan.

There’s no denying that it will be a treat to watch the two supremely good-looking actors sharing screen space after a decade.

We have to wait and watch whether Kareena and Hrithik can create the magic Deepika and Ranbir managed to. If they do so Karan Johar should be awarded the best scheming (oops!) casting director award.

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