. sequel | Mandakini | Kareena Kapoor | Imran Khan | Ekta Kapoor | Bollywood | Avatar | ashish | Akshay Kumar SHARE AND DISCUSS Tweet Sonakshi Sinha More Pics There has been intense speculation about who would be the leading lady of Once Upon A Time in Mumbai 2 after Kareena Kapoor walked out of the project, reportedly to accommodate Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film opposite Ranveer Singh.

For a while, it was rumoured that Sonakshi Sinha had been roped in for the part opposite Akshay Kumar in the film. And Mirror can now confirm that she is the chosen one to have finally signed on the dotted line.

A source close to the developments told us, "It is Sonakshi. She had been approached after Kareena walked out, but there were major date issues among other things.

With Rowdy Rathore and Joker yet to be released, the actress wasn't sure if she wanted to do yet another film with Akshay and vice versa. Then again, Kangna's name started doing the rounds.

However, after Ranveer's accident on the sets of Lootera, Sonakshi had a window of dates available, and finally agreed to do the film." Meanwhile, buzz is that Sonakshi had reservations about playing Dawood's girlfriend, Mandakini , which is why she took her own time making up her mind.

Especially since she would have to appear in a very bold avatar , unlike her screen persona. Ribbed about it, our source said, "Sonakshi was in two minds about playing a character based on the Bollywood actress.

That was coupled with the fact that she would have to ooze sexuality. However, all that has been taken care of now, and the makers have decided against the bold sequences.

Sonakshi is perfectly happy with the film." The film is slated to go on floors in August as Akshay will start shooting for Ashish R Mohan's Khiladi 786 in May and Sonakshi will also know where exactly Lootera stands after Ranveer's recovery.

The sequel to Once Upon a Time in Mumbai stars Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and Imran Khan in lead roles and is directed by Milan Luthria. In spite of repeated attempts, Milan, Sonakshi and Ekta Kapoor remained unavailable for comments (less)

Every morning the paper has a new girl claiming to be Mandakini. It started with Kareena Kapoor who let out the news six months ago; Bebo even said, "I will be doing the waterfall scene like the one Mandakini did in my grandfather's Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

'' Then Deepika Padukone got her PR machinery to say she was being considered. Two days ago Kangana Ranaut's publicist leaked out stories on how Kangana would replace Kareena? Hello, Kareena wasn't considered in the first place.

And Kangana played Haji Mastan's girlfriend in the first part of OUATIM. So how could she go on to playing his protege Dawood's girl in the second part? Cinematic liberty yes; but such vivid imagination.

Even as the race heats up and more actresses come forward claiming to be Mandakini, an insider tells us that the producers would like Sonakshi Sinha to play the role of Dawood's girl. Sonakshi and Akshay are already doing Joker and Rowdy Rathore and their pair has a certain zing.

Milan Luthria is amused with all the speculation. Fresh from the success of The Dirty Picture; this man who B-Town actresses now view as a messiah, says, "I'm flattered that such talented actresses are staking their claim to the part of the leading lady in OUATIM-2.

But I am currently writing the script. I hope to finish it in a week's time.

Once I am done, then I will do what I do best - cast the right girl.'' Milan categorically denies having talked to Kareena and Deepika for the role.

"Kangana cannot be the girl because she was Haji Mastan's love interest in part one,'' he clarifies. "As for Sonakshi well, there is a lot of talk going on.

But honestly nothing is finalised yet.'' (less)

For the first time, she will play a gangster's moll in her most recent project, Ekta Kapoor's Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again, the sequel to Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. It will be her third film with Akshay Kumar , who plays Shoaib (modelled on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim ).

Sonakshi's character Yasmin is said to be based on the life of '80s actress Mandakini . Sona will be seen as Shoaib's love interest.

Imran Khan will be seen as Aslam who is drawn into Shoaib's activities and utimately forms the third angle to the love triangle. Sonakshi says, "While listening to a script, I place myself in the character while listening to the story.

If I can't picture myself in the role I don't do it. This character goes through an interesting transformation - from a young, innocent girl who aspires to be an actress to someone whose life changes after she falls in love with a gangster.

It's based in the 1980s and will be interesting to get into a character during that time." Talking about her third film on the trot with Akshay, Sonakshi says, "It's my third film with him.

I think we share very good on-screen chemistry which is why people keep casting us together. He's a very good co-star and fun on the sets.

He has got a great sense of humour and is very grounded despite his superstar status." (less)

Interestingly, she played the actress-girlfriend of Ajay Devgn in the first outing also. Taking off after the end of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai , with Shoaib Khan (played by Emraan Hashmi), director Milan Luthria's sequel starts with the rise of the newer don, reportedly based on Dawood Ibrahim, which is now being played by Akshay Kumar.

It is believed that Kangana's character is inspired from Mandakini, who got involved with the Dubai based don after her career in Bollywood that started on a high with Raj Kapoor's Ram Teri Ganga Maili stagnated. A source informed that producer Ekta and director Milan Luthria were looking for a suitable replacement after Kareena opted out of the sequel earlier this month.

"A couple of names were considered, but somewhere they felt that a performing actress was more needed than a starry name. Initially they weren't considering Kangana as she has already played an actress, Rehana in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai .

And this character was said to be based on one Sona, who Haji Mastan (the inspiration for Ajay Devgn's character Sultan Mirza) fell in love with and even made a movie with later," explains our source. When contacted, Tanuj Garg, CEO of Ekta's production house said, "We're still in the process of locking the final script.

After that, our priority is to finalise the second actor after Akshay. And only then will we figure out the casting for the girls.

Guess the talk of Kangana doing the Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai sequel is due to the fact that she's also playing the leading lady opposite John in Shootout At Wadala , which is also our production." However, standing by the story, the source said, "The paperwork is still pending.

So perhaps that's why Ekta's production house is not confirming Kangana's presence in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai sequel to the media yet. Besides, Akshay-Kangna is a novel combination, as the two haven't been featured together yet.

And a new pairing also helps built up the curiosity factor of a film to a considerable extent in its marketing and promotion." Tweet (less)

Interestingly, she played the actress-girlfriend of Ajay Devgn in the first outing also. Taking off after the end of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai , with Shoaib Khan (played by Emraan Hashmi), director Milan Luthria's sequel starts with the rise of the newer don, reportedly based on Dawood Ibrahim, which is now being played by Akshay Kumar.

It is believed that Kangana's character is inspired from Mandakini, who got involved with the Dubai based don after her career in Bollywood that started on a high with Raj Kapoor's Ram Teri Ganga Maili stagnated. A source informed that producer Ekta and director Milan Luthria were looking for a suitable replacement after Kareena opted out of the sequel earlier this month.

"A couple of names were considered, but somewhere they felt that a performing actress was more needed than a starry name. Initially they weren't considering Kangana as she has already played an actress, Rehana in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai .

And this character was said to be based on one Sona, who Haji Mastan (the inspiration for Ajay Devgn's character Sultan Mirza) fell in love with and even made a movie with later," explains our source. When contacted, Tanuj Garg, CEO of Ekta's production house said, "We're still in the process of locking the final script.

After that, our priority is to finalise the second actor after Akshay. And only then will we figure out the casting for the girls.

Guess the talk of Kangana doing the Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai sequel is due to the fact that she's also playing the leading lady opposite John in Shootout At Wadala , which is also our production." However, standing by the story, the source said, "The paperwork is still pending.

So perhaps that's why Ekta's production house is not confirming Kangana's presence in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai sequel to the media yet. Besides, Akshay-Kangna is a novel combination, as the two haven't been featured together yet.

And a new pairing also helps built up the curiosity factor of a film to a considerable extent in its marketing and promotion." Tweet (less)

So we have Akshay Kumar and Imran Khan as the gangsters and Sonakshi Sinha as the starlet." So does Sonakshi really plays Mandakini's role or her character is a take off from the starlet's life? "There is a lot of fact-meets-fiction in the sequel.

In fact there is more of fiction than facts in the second part, but yes, Sonakshi plays the moll," says Milan. But why Sonakshi? "Because Sonakshi has a very Indian sex appeal.

I had met her before "Dabangg" released. I had gone to Salman's house for dinner and the whole team of " Dabangg " was there - it was at Salman's place where I saw Sonakshi and was awestruck by her simplicity and grace.

A lot of my casting is instinctive and when I saw Sonakshi, I felt she would be well-suited the role of a demure girl, who comes to the city of dreams to make a name for herself," says the director. But more than Sona, it is Imran Khan and his role in the sequel that has Milan super excited.

"You wait and watch for Imran. I have a feeling that our sequel will do to Imran, what "The Dirty Picture" did to Vidya Balan," gushes Milan, as he goes on to explain why he thinks Imran fits the bill.

"We chose Imran because of his mass appeal. He is extremely popular among young girls and the college going crowd, but with the sequel, he will be seen in an entirely different form.

This is exactly what we did with Vidya - we gave her a different colour that was out of her comfort zone. Imran too will be seen in something that's in stark contrast to his image.

His character has humour, action, witty one-liners and flamboyance, but he plays a typical sadak chhaap gangster with a heart of gold," shares Milan (less)

It?s said that she beat the first choice Kareena Kapoor to bag the role. But Ileana isn?t doing Milan Luthria?s film.

?Ileana isn?t playing Mandakini. She hasn?t signed any Hindi film except Barfee ,? says a source close to her.

Right now, the 23-year-old is busy shooting for Nanban , the Tamil remake of 3 Idiots (less)

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

Her association with Dawood Ibrahim. Bollywood always gives everyone a second chance.

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

How her family helped her overcome the turmoil in her life. Bollywood always gives everyone a second chance.

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

On her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche. I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode.

That's in the past now. I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time.

After some time, you get irritated. If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months (less)

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

Her association with Dawood Ibrahim. Bollywood always gives everyone a second chance.

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

How her family helped her overcome the turmoil in her life. Bollywood always gives everyone a second chance.

Though Mandakini has been away from films for decades, she was always an actor by heart. A certain fear still tags along with her name but the Ram Teri Ganga Maili actress has learnt to live with it all these years.

In an interview in the latest issue of Stardust, Raj Kapoor's discovery wants people to know that her past is history now. She makes a comeback as a producer-director with The Lost Country, along with her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche.

I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode. That's in the past now.

I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time. After some time, you get irritated.

If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months. They helped me to forget things that were really disturbing at that point of time.

The entire credit goes to my family. I was really distressed then, as things had happened too suddenly for me to even think about it.

I got used to it and accustomed to live under that pressure. My husband was a monk for a major part of his life before we got married.

He's a Dalai Lama follower and has always supported the Tibetan cause. We have been working on our film The Lost Country for a long time.

It's not that I am consciously trying to be good to be back to doing movies. I'm still at home with my children.

I don't know but if I have made up my mind to act, I think I should be able to do it. I would never regret the Ram Teri Ganga Maili scene.

The audience and my fans remember me for that scene. Kuch log achche se yaad karte hain, kuch log mazaak udate hain.

But I am happy that they at least love me for that. I'm fortunate to have worked with the best filmmaker of that time??-- Mr Raj Kapoor.

On her husband Dr Kagyur Rimpoche. I don't want people to connect me with Dawood any more or even think of that unfortunate episode.

That's in the past now. I feel very bad that the media still wants to cash in on my name and make it as controversial as possible'' I cleared my stand at that point of time.

After some time, you get irritated. If you want to clean your image, it does not mean you have to give a statement every six months (less)

Interestingly Kareena's role will be modeled on the lines of yesteryear actress Mandakini, who was supposedly Dawood Ibrahim's muse. While the makers insist that the sequel will be story of Shoaib (played by Emraan Hashmi in the first part) over Dawood Ibrahim, they had made similar claims that Sultaan Mirza's character was not modeled on lines of Haji Mastan, though we all know the truth now.

So while on one side director Milan Luthria is making Vidya Balan play Silk Smitha, on the other side he will make Kareena Kapoor play Mandakini. Incidentally Kareena Kapoor was to work with Milan Luthria years back in Chori Chori but opted out due to date problems and the role eventually went to Rani Mukherji.

More interestingly Mandakini's solo claim to fame in Bollywood is her under-the-waterfall-in-transparent-white-outfit scene from Ram Teri Ganga Maili which was directed by Kareena Kapoor's grandfather Raj Kapoor (less)