The battle was on between Kabir Khan's yet-to-be-titled film, Shekhar Kapur's Paani and Karan Malhotra's next. And the winner is officially announced at last; it’s Karan Malhotra’s Shuddhi which has won the race to sign up Hrithik Roshan on its board. Hrithik, who is presently busy shooting for Krissh 3, has confirmed the news that he has signed the film on Sunday.

The film will mark a comeback of the 2012 film Agneepath trio, Karan Johar as a producer, Karan Malhotra as the director and Hrithik in the lead role. The heroine and the villain are yet to be cast. Malhotra confirmed the news while talking a leading daily, "Yes, my next film, Shuddhi, will star Hrithik. It's a very complex role. Apart from the hero, the film has a strong villainous character.

" The film will go floors in November this year. The director added, "We will be shooting most portions in Mumbai and Uttarakhand. We are aiming for a Diwali 2014 release.”A close source added further, "Karan and Hrithik had a long meeting last week. Hrithik went through the script at length and then signed on the dotted line. Contrary to rumours, the film is not based on Amish Tripathi's novel The Immortals Of Meluha."