Vishal gets Ash to say, I do. Finally

Raavan may have tanked, but that hasn't stopped the biggest directors in Bollywood from chasing Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The latest to woo is her is Vishal Bhardwaj, for a woman-centric project that is expected to take off in 2011. Ash has even set aside her dates for the project, sources tell us.

Says a source close to Aishwarya, "Vishal and Aishwarya have a history of misses. "Years ago, she was supposed to do his first directorial venture, Timbucktoo. This year too, she was approached for Saat Khoon Maaf, but she didn't have the dates and the film eventually went to Priyanka Chopra."

The source adds that Bharadwaj was hurt by Ash's constant refusals, but the actress would repeatedly tell friends that she would love to work with him, dates permitting.

"Aishwarya had liked the script for Saat Khoon Maaf. But 2010 has been an especially busy year for her, what with five films releasing. Vishal couldn't wait, and he went to Priyanka Chopra. It happens. Even Prakash Jha's Raajneeti was first offered to Priyanka Chopra.

When she couldn't do it, Katrina got it."

Now at a juncture in her career where she craves unconventional roles, the actress is finally set to work with the director on the project, a contemporary romantic subject with an unusual climax.

Confirming this, Rai-Bachchan said, "Yes, Vishal and I have been meaning to work together for quite some time.

Things are working out now. He feels I've been saying no far too often, but it wasn't my fault. Things finally are falling into place."