This has to be Bollywood’s biggest news. We confirm the rumours that have been floating around for a while now. Ever since poor Sridevi passed away, in fact, late in February. It is true, Dharma Productions is going ahead with the epic period drama that Karan Johar had planned keeping Sridevi and Sanjay Dutt in mind. It’s called Kalank and, yes – this also is true, replacing Sridevi will be Bollywood’s original Dhak-Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit.

The film, an epic period drama set in the 1940s and based on the Indo-Pak partition, goes on the floors tomorrow on an enormous set erected at Film City. It’s cast, beside the delectable pairing of Sanjay and Madhuri years after their last film Mahaanta in 1997, includes Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Khemu. The film has always been on Dharma Productions’ wish list because it was written by Karan’s father, the legendary filmmaker Yash Johar, who wanted to make it back in the day but could not. Now, 14 years after he passed away, Karan makes his father Yash’s dream come true.

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The buzz around Kalank has been enormous in the Bollywood press with several blind items on “will Madhuri-won’t Madhuri do the film” being run based on the gorgeous actress’ reported “couple” relationship with Dutt and their estrangement after his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. But it appears that not only have the two senior actors put behind their past, and they are now working in a big ticket film with Bollywood’s leading young stars, but Madhuri and Dutt also have several scenes together in Kalank that everybody will be waiting to see.

They were the jodi most in demand during the 1990s and gave some memorable films together including Saajan, Khalnayak and Thanedaar which had the super hit song Tamma Tamma. So, by bringing them together in Kalank, Karan has not only fulfilled his father’s dream to make the period drama but also given fans of Madhuri and Dutt the hope of seeing them together after 21 years. The film was to be called Shiddat earlier and is being directed by Abhishek (Two States) Varman. It will release in 2019.