“Kareena is not confirmed, she is just one of the people being considered,” author Shrabani Basu told me when I asked her who would play the female lead in the upcoming film of her book Spy Princess at a reception at auction house Christie’s in London last week.

Basu’s biography is of Noor Inayat Khan, the only Asian female secret agent in Europe during World War II. “Ideally, I would have liked Nargis for this role but sadly she is not with us anymore,” Basu revealed.

Respected director Shyam Benegal will probably take the project on. He should begin working on the biopic as soon as the leading lady is confirmed. As Basu said: “At this time the screenplay is doing the round of the producers. Once it is confirmed the rest will fall into place.” The script was written by Lady Kishwar Desai a respected Indian author and wife of the British Asian Labour peer, Lord Meghnad Desai.

Benegal’s latest film, Welcome to Sajjanpur, a satire on Indian village life, will be shown at the Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival.

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