Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be playing the steady woman in 'Casanova' Abhishek's life for Raj Kumar Santoshi's Ladies & Gentleman. After having done everything from a family drama (Dhai Akshar Prem Ke) to a bio-pic (Guru) to a modern-day drama (Raavan) together, this is Aishwarya's opportunity to have fun with Abhishek…at his expense.

In Santoshi's film which he starts shooting in July, Abhishek plays a guy with an insatiable roving eye. Aishwarya has sportingly agreed to let her husband play the field on screen. 3 years ago, she refused Dostana with Abhishek because her character was shown walking away with another man. "I don't think that would go down well with our fans," she had argued.

"That's Ash for you... beautiful and dutiful to the core. She won't do any role that compromises her personal dignity or image as the Bachchan bahu. But if Abhishek is playing a devious unfaithful character she doesn't mind bending the gender rules," says a close friend of the couple.

This would be their first rom-com together.

For the first time in his career, Abhishek plays a full-blown womanizer in Ladies & Gentleman. And Aishwarya has no objections to him romancing several girls in her presence, albeit on screen.

Laughs Santoshi, "I had actually offered this film to Aishwarya five years ago. And look at destiny. It's come back to her. Every role is earmarked for a particular actor. I feel Aishwarya is perfect for this film. Though Aishwarya has done comedy before, this is a new genre for Abhishek and for them as a pair."

Santoshi starts a new banner, named after his mother, with Ladies & Gentleman.

Says the director, "This comedy takes me into the same genre as Andaz Apna Apna and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. But the humour here is not slapstick."

With Ladies & Gentleman, Santoshi is starting a new banner named after his mother. Says Santoshi, "I'm starting my new production house named after my mother Rajam Santoshi. She passed away last year. I learnt the art of narration from her. If people say I am a good narrator it's because of my mother and father (filmmaker) P L Santoshi."

- BH