Medha Shankr finalised as the leading lady alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi in Abhishek Chaubey's series Kaala

Medha Shankr was last seen in the April release, ‘Ginny Weds Sunny 2’

Earlier this week, mid-day reported that Siddhant Chaturvedi and filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey were teaming up for Kaala, a series centred on Jharkhand's coal mafia in the 1970s (Back to black, Oct 22). Now, it appears that the director has also zeroed in on his show's leading lady. According to sources, Medha Shankr, who rose to fame with the sleeper hit 12th Fail (2023), has bagged the project.

Siddhant Chaturvedi

A source told mid-day, "The team did extensive auditions in its hunt for the female lead. Medha was always a frontrunner. She fits the world that Abhishek has created." This will be her maiden collaboration with both Chaturvedi and Chaubey.

Ronit Bose Roy and Abhishek Chaubey

With the two leads in place, the obvious question then is: who will be the baddie? Chaubey, who plans to kick off Kaala in Pune next month, seems to have figured that out. Another insider revealed, "Ronit Bose Roy has been signed on to play the primary antagonist. His intensity and ability to bring diverse characters on screen with conviction made him the perfect choice."