While Vidya Balan is unquestionably the reigning queen of commercial cinema, she is fast emerging as a favourite of the legends of the parallel genre as well. Or so suggests the grapevine. The The Dirty Picture star has reportedly been roped in by acclaimed director Sudhir Mishra for his upcoming project Mehrunissa. The choice of the film's leading lady has long been a subject of speculation in trade circles. Initial reports suggested Mishra would not look beyond his muse Chitrangada Singh, but were followed by rumours that the Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi director had his sights set on Katrina Kaif for the role.

But now it's all but confirmed that Vidya will be playing the lead in the Nikhil Advani- produced project that also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor in their first screen outing together in 20 years. The duo has previously co- starred in several hit movies including Kabhi Kabhi and Amar Akbar Anthony. According to a source, it was Nikhil's idea to cast Vidya in the lead. The two became friends on the sets of Salaam-e-Ishq, which was directed by Nikhil and starred the actress.

Set in the quaint locales of Lucknow in the 80s, Mehrunissa is primarily a romantic drama interspersed with light- hearted moments derived from a parallel track that details Bachchan's and Kapoor's characters' friendship-gone-awry. Vidya will be playing the title character, a role that will pan out in two stages - depicting a 20- year- old protagonist in the first and as a 60- something in the second.

Rumours that Chitrangada would play Mehrunissa were first heard last year but immediately refuted by Mishra. "I have not even finalised the script as yet. I will decide about the cast only after the script is ready. The lead actors have to suit the character," he had said.

Initially scheduled to go on floors in April, the shooting of the film will now begin once Bachchan - currently in convalescence after surgery - makes a full recovery, most probably towards the end of the year. The timing would suit Vidya as well, as she will have wrapped up the shoot for her first all- out comic venture Ghanchakkar by then.