Ranbir Kapoor's girlfriends, Katrina and Deepika, team up

If filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali can pull this one off, then it will be much like the casting coup that Yash Chopra did in ‘Silsilay’.

The rumour mills are abuzz with reports of Ranbir Kapoor’s current and ex-girlfriend being signed on for Sanjay’s ‘Bajirao Mastani’.

Although there’s no confirmation from either actress on whether the news is authentic, industry insiders claim there isn’t any smoke without fire.

Interestingly, Sanjay had shelved this project 14 years ago, after Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan refused to work together.

He had written the story with them in mind during the making of ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Hai Sanam’, but after the couple spilt, he was unable to convince them to pair up on-screen.

Sanjay had then claimed he would never make the movie without ‘his’ Bajirao and Mastani.

There were talks of casting trials that continued for years with Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor also in the running for the lead roles.

But their spilt further delayed Sanjay’s plans of making a film on the life of Peshwa Bajirao and his ladylove Mastani.

Now, reports have emerged that Sanjay is finally ready to revive ‘Bajirao Mastani’, and he’s eyeing Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone for the lead female part.

According to an Indian daily, Bhansali has already approached Deepika and Katrina, who have apparently shown interest.

With the two women on board, would Sanjay now rope in Ranbir Kapoor and attempt another casting coup like ‘Silsila’?

Back then, Yash Chopra had casted Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya and his ‘lover’ Rekha in a movie that trailed a rocky marriage.

If the deal is struck, this would be Katrina’s first movie with Bhansali and Deepika’s second.

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