British-Indian model and actress Karishma Kotak has been finalized as the female lead opposite Salman in Sohail Khan’s upcoming film Mental (earlier titled Radhe). Reportedly, Cocktail star Diana Penty was one of the top contenders for the role. Apparently, Salman Khan played a key role in selecting Karishma for the lead role. A source close to the actor said: “Salman has had a good equation with Kotak ever since he shot a TV commercial with her last year. In fact, he also advocated for her inclusion in Bigg Boss 6. He believes the model can deliver a strong performance on screen.”

Added the source:“Salman has no issues with Penty, who definitely was one of the main contenders for the role. It was just that both Salman and Sohail were keen on casting a new face.” As a successful model, Kotak walked the ramp for London Fashion Week, modeled for Vijay Mallya's bikini calendar and shot to fame with her commercials with Abhishek Bachchan and Salman Khan. Krishma's film debut was with Chiranjeevi in the Telugu film Shankar Dada Zindabad. But her luck with Bollywood has not been with her. She starred in the forgettable Season’s Greetings in 2010, and has not had much of a scope since then. When contacted, Karishma did not confirm, nor deny the news. Sohail too remained unavailable for comment. Mental is expected to go on floors on February 15.