Sweet sixteen!

It's final now. Sonam Kapoor will star opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Aditya's Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. There has been a lot of speculation about casting for this role. Extensive talent hunts were organised by Yashraj Films to scout for just the right girl with the authentic Punjabi look who will play a 16-year-old in the film. Hundreds of authentic Punjabi kudis participated in the auditions held in Punjab. Aditya Chopra himself went through the shortlist, but found no one suitable. Back home in Mumbai, Yashraj receives bio-datas by the dozen every week…

However, it turns out that the girl they needed was right under their nose all the time. Our very own Sonam Kapoor of Sanjay Bhansali's Saawariya fame.

Our sources say, "Aditya Chopra was very keen to have a tall, fair Punjabi girl for the role opposite Shah Rukh Khan. He has himself written the script and knows exactly what he wants in his heroine. The film deals with the love story of a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. Adi was also very finicky about signing the right girl because he was making his comeback to direction after a gap of eight years and wanted to get everything just so."

After all his talent hunts led to a dead end, Adi spoke to Anil Kapoor, who was more than glad to have Sonam get into the Yashraj camp, that too directed by none other that Adi himself. There have been several meetings and Sonam is now on board.

When contacted, Anil Kapoor refused to comment.