Shilpa Shetty signs on Nagesh Kukunoor

Shilpa Shetty's long-in-the-pipeline film production plans are finally rolling. The actress has inked a deal with Nagesh Kukunoor to direct a film for her production house. Kukunoor was among the B-Town folk who had attended Shilpa's wedding reception in November.

Though the actress is busy with her Indian Premier League pursuits, she is also keen that S2 Global Productions gets going.



Several names tossed up
Ever since she returned from her honeymoon, she and hubby Raj Kundra have been chalking out their filmmaking blueprints. Several directors' names were tossed, but Shilpa was keen on Nagesh.

A source close to Shilpa confirms, "Yes, she has signed him." When asked why Nagesh (who is known more for his socially relevant subjects), the source adds, "His project with Shilpa is not a serious subject but a beautiful love story. She feels that he is the right choice with the sensibilities needed for the project."

Though Kukunoor directed critically acclaimed movies like Hyderabad Blues and Iqbal, of lat,e the director has had a rough patch. His Akshay Kumar-starrer 8x10 Tasveer and the Shreyas Talpade comedy Bombay To Bangkok proved to be damp squibs.

While his John Abraham-starrer Aashayein is waiting to see the light of day though it was completed two years ago. There is also Yeh Hausla with Sameera Reddy and Karan Nath.
The source continues, Shilpa feels her project will put Nagesh back in the reckoning despite his bad spell at the BO lately."

Apparently, Shilpa has decided not to act in her production. She hopes to rope in some leading B-Town stars, some of whom she knows personally well.
When the actress launched her production house, she was keen on making a film to relaunch her sister Shamita.

But the source points out, "At the moment, no decision has been made about the casting."