Hamsalekha to cast a new face as Shakuntale

Well-known musician Hamsalekha, known as Nadha Brahma in the Kannada industry, has taken the directorial plunge with his favourite project, Shakuntale. Taking a break from the music reality show, Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa, the musician-turned-director has started working on his mega project, which will be made in Kannada and Hindi. Confirming this with CE, Hamsalekha says that this is going to be the first Indian fairy tale film.

“Shakuntale will be known for its music and VFX, both of which have been given a lot of importance. These two elements have been pending for two months. With many technicians coming together, I expect the work to be completed in the next few weeks. Only after I complete the graphics portions, which will take one and a half months, can I start shooting with actors,” says the director, who adds that the VFX will appear in a poetic way and that this will be a different kind of a film.

The film has generated a lot of interest ever since Hamsalekha announced the project, with the biggest question being who will play the titular role. Ask the director, and he says he only plans to disclose the details about the heroine in December. Though there were names such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Anushka Shetty doing the rounds, the director hints at bringing in a newcomer. “The star cast of Shakuntale will consist of all the big stars of India, but the lead actress will be a fresh face.”