Parineeti & Ranveer in YRF-Shaad Ali's next

After a dismal show at the box office with his 2007 film Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Shaad Ali, who according to his close friend Vaibhavi Merchant is a 'bohemian'and 'lives life on his own terms', all but disappeared from the film industry. Having spent his time assisting his mentor Mani Ratnam in Raavan, it was only in August last year that he resurfaced (after a long gap of five years) to say that he is preparing to direct a film.

Titled Kill Dil, the breezy romance, he declared would star Ranveer Singh. Though there have been rumours about him approaching Aditya Chopra with the script, Shaad, at the time kept mum about the producers or the leading lady of his next. And now, Mirror has learnt that the director will return to his favourite production house, after all.

According to insiders, Adi loved the storyline and asked Shaad to come on board for his fourth outing with the production house. Though there have been rumours about Shaad wanting to cast Deepika Padukone opposite Ranveer in Kill Dil, perhaps trying to capitalise on their reported offscreen camaraderie, we found out that the producers have already locked the cast. They have turned to their current favourite Parineeti Chopra as the female lead in the film.

This will be Jr Ms Chopra's second project with Ranveer. What's more, we learnt that Ali Zafar, who starred in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan alongside Imran Khan and Katrina Kaif, will play an important role in the film. When contacted, YRF spokesperson confirmed the cast and said, "Yes, this is correct. The film, Kill Dil, is slated to go on floors this October and will release in 2014."

Incidentally, Shaad received the good news of his return to the production house a couple of days before his wedding to stylist Aarti Patkar. "This week has been very eventful for Shaad - a wedding and a new film. What more can he ask for?" said a source close to the director. According to the source, Shaad wanted to take no chances with the script he had taken a long time to finalise. "He is confident to bounce back with Kill Dil. It's a very good script," added the source.