The rumored identity of Shah Rukh Khan's leading lady in his upcoming film Raees has been learned.
It's Mahira Khan, the Pakistani actress who made her film debut opposite singer-actor Atif Aslam in Shoaib Mansoor's 2011 social drama, Bol. The beauty was introduced to Indian audiences recently with the TV show, Humsafar. She stars opposite current heartthrob Fawad Khan in the show which premiered on Zindagi channel.
The makers were looking for an "international" face instead of a familiar Bollywood name, which explains how Mahira bagged the coveted role. "She plays SRK's wife in the film. He's a gangster based in Gujarat while Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the cop who traps him in Mumbai. It's a complex role and both the film's director Rahul Dholakia and producers, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, believe she is perfect for the part."
The source added that the makers met the actress in the last week of November when she flew down to Mumbai to discuss the project. With the cast in place, the film goes on floors in Mumbai in February 2015. Certain portions will be filmed in the interiors of Gujarat.
