Anurag Basu confirms Telugu actress Ileana D’Cruz opposite Ranbir in Barfee

By Subhash K. Jha -

December 13, 2010 - 12:00 AM IST

Anurag Basu confirms Telugu actress Ileana D’Cruz opposite Ranbir in Barfee

The crucial and much-delayed casting of the second heroine opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Anurag Basu's Barfee is finally done.

It's Telugu star Ileana D'Cruz who starred in the blockbusters Pokiri and Kick who will play the other female lead opposite Ranbir in Barfee. For a while it was Asin, the original choice for the role who was almost back in the project. Apparently, the price factor didn't work out.

That's when Anurag Basu who has an eye for new talent (he discovered Kangna Ranaut) happened to see Ileana's photographs.

Says a source, "Anurag showed the pics to Ranbir Kapoor who felt Ileana had the same delicacy and grace as Deepika Padukone. He immediately approved of Ileana. Things were finalized within days. Anurag met Ileana and her mother and explained the role in Barfee and also that Priyanka Chopra plays the other part."

While Siddharth Roy Kapoor of UTV who are producing Barfee said the other female lead in Barfee will be announced shortly, Anurag Basu confirmed Ileana's presence in the film.

Interestingly Ileana is the third South Indian actress after Asin and Deepika to be offered the same role in Barfee. Anurag intends to put Ileana through rigorous voice and diction coaching before facing the camera.

Says a source, "Since Ranbir plays mute and Priyanka plays a woman often lapsing into incoherence, it is very important that Ileana speak clear and correct Hindi. That was the prerequisite for her signing Barfee."