Shahrukh Khan to act in Chetan Bhagat's Two States based film

When Sajid Nadiadwala took over the rights of the film ' Two States' based on a novel by Chetan Bhagat of the same name, he was not sure whether he wanted Siddharth Anand to direct the film with Ranbir Kapoor - his ' Anjaana Anjaani' star or whether he wanted the superstar Shah Rukh Khan play the said role.

But in what transpires finally to be a tale of Three Khans for Bhagat, the film is now being made by Vishal Bhardwaj and will star Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. Aamir Khan played the role in the film ' 3 Idiots' which was based on Bhagat's book called ' Five Point Someone'. And after a controversy that raged over the book, the credits and the rights, one wasn't sure whether anyone in Bollywood would still be interested to work in a film which is based on a book by Bhagat. Shah Rukh Khan had even rejected the role in ' 3 Idiots' after a difference of opinion with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Raj Kumar Hirani.

Salman Khan has already played a short but lead role in the film ' Hello' which was based on Bhagat's earlier book ' One Night at a Call Centre'. Later when Aamir did ' 3 Idiots', it seemed like he was following on Salman's footsteps.

And now SRK indeed is following on Aamir Khan's footsteps by agreeing to work in the film. " Vishal and I have been speaking to each other for over two years on the film. But then we are still to sign on the dotted line," confirms SRK. Clearly Shah Rukh will work in the film only if he is the co- producer of the movie.

SRK's Red Chillies will be coproducing the film along with Sajid Nadiadwala's company for the first time. This will be an interesting move to watch for friends and producers/ directors like Karan Johar who are trying to work out a film with both Aamir and SRK together.

Both these actors are working on being co- producers in films that they are working in these days. How will the proceeds of the Karan Johar film be shared is another question to ponder.