Kareena pips Priyanka for Benegal film

Shyam Benegal has extracted career best performances from Karisma Kapoor in Zubeidaa, Amrita Rao in Welcome to Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba is Minissha Lamba’s best performance since her debut Yahaan. Now the acclaimed filmmaker wants Kareena Kapoor as his next heroine.

If he gets his way, Kareena Kapoor will star in Chamki Chameli, the Indian adaptation of French opera Carmen, which is Benegal’s dream project. The opera plays in different languages everyday across the globe yet Benegal hasn’t found takers for the subject here.

‘Generation after generation has responded to the magic and madness of the hedonistic gypsy in Carmen. It’s like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and it cannot fail. Yet, in India I’m not getting the kind of money a canvas like this requires. Also some of the stars I thought and was hoping to say ‘yes’ actually said ‘no’ but I haven’t given up hope.

Priyanka Chopra, Urmila Matondkar and Kareena Kapoor have been in the running for Chamki Chameli. The film needs a star who is not only beautiful but also a fabulous actress and a natural dancer. After Karisma, Benegal is very keen on working with Kareena Kapoor. About the beauty, he said, ‘She is a beautiful woman, a terrific dancer and a proven dancer. She would make a great Chameli.’

A source told us that Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra were the prime contenders for the movie. Kareena was very keen to work with Benegal because Zubeidaa is one of the finest movies and performances of Karisma’s career and she thinks working with Benegal in an author-backed role would be a landmark film in her career, like Chameli and Jab We Met.

Kareena is currently busy with KJo’s Stepmom remake so we hope she dishes out time for Benegal to act in one of the most important films in her career that will re-instate her as an actress after Jab We Met.