Bollywood's casting community is abuzz with the news that rookie Rasha Thadani could replace South sensation Sreeleela in the upcoming sequel Pati Patni Aur Woh 2.
The possible change is being considered by producers who wish to create new on-screen chemistry between the leads.
The Rising Star
Rasha, the daughter of 90s star Raveena Tandon, made a promising debut this year with Azaad.
Although the period drama fared poorly at the box office, her sizzling dance number Uyi Amma proved she could be a total performer.
She is only 19 years old and yet embodies the new crop of Bollywood star kids waiting to make their mark.
Why the Replacement?
As per an article mentioned in Mirchi 9, it is said that the production unit has desired to preempt audience fatigue, as Kartik and Sreeleela share screen space together in Anurag Basu's next romance drama.
"When two artists feature together in too many films in quick succession, it depletes the freshness," elaborates a trade expert.
"The producers want that new couple magic the initial film had," mentioned Gulte in an article.
Behind the Scenes
Director Mudassar Aziz is said to be performing screen tests this week to seal the female lead. Rasha is said to be the front-runner, but nothing has been finalized yet. It all ultimately depends on which actress shows better chemistry with Kartik in tests.
What This Means
For Rasha, this would be a huge career opener - her debut big-budget project opposite one of Bollywood's biggest young bankable stars.
For Sreeleela, it's a dent in her Bollywood plans, although she still has the Basu film to prove herself.
The 2019 original sleeper hit earned ₹100 crore worldwide. With Kartik's stardom much bigger after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Satyaprem Ki Katha, anticipation levels are at the roof for the sequel.
Industry Reactions
Casting director Nandini Shrikant says: "New pairings always make us excited. If Rasha lands this, she might just use it as her launchpad to stardom."
Back in social media, fans are equally divided about the choice between Rasha and Sreeleela.
As the production looks set to go on floors shooting in months to come, people eagerly await the official casting confirmation.
Will Sreeleela keep the part, or will Rasha Thadani find her big moment?
