Months after Mira Nair revealed that she had zeroed in on Shefali Shah to play the pivotal part of Rupa Mehra in her adaptation of A Suitable Boy, mid-day has learnt that Shah is no longer associated with the project. Instead, the filmmaker — known for her sharp eye for discovering talented artistes — has roped in Mahira Kakkar for the role. A Juilliard-trained actor, Kakkar comes armed with significant portrayals in American shows, including Orange Is The New Black, The Blacklist and Law & Order.

A source reveals, "Shefali and Mira's dates weren't matching, so she bowed out of the project."