Mani Ratnam’s next film starring Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Govinda is a modern day adaptation of Ramayan. The film titled Ravana will also star South superstar Vikram, who will play the role of Ravan.

Our source says, “Mani Sir is excited about Ravana. Mani was keen that Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai play the Ram-Sita pair and he was delighted when they agreed to do so.

It’s mythology with a modern twist. Mani Ratnam’s next film will be an interpretation of the Ramayan featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the modern-day Ram and Sita, respectively.

The filmmaker last directed the pair in his hit film Guru. The venture is likely to go on the floors by the end of the year and will also be made in Tamil. Ratnam’s version of Ramayan will have Govinda essaying the role of Hanuman.

Kollywood is abuzz with news that ace director Mani Ratnam has signed the biggest ever deal in the history of south Indian cinema, to do a three-version film in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

The Hindi version will feature Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Govinda in a negative role. Confirming that he has signed up for the movie..

After doing comic roles for almost a decade, Govinda has bagged a Mani Ratnam film. Govinda has been signed for a pivotal part in the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai starrer that will go on floors by the year-end.

Confirming this startling development, Govinda who’s currently nursing his daughter Narmada after her facial surgery, expresses deep gratitude for being presented with a second innings as an actor.

Mumbai: Producer - director Rohan Sippy has signed Abhishek Bachchan as the lead in his next directorial venture. The film is as yet untitled and will go on floors early next year. Incidentally, Sippy's last film Bluffmaster (2005) also starred Abhishek.

Speaking to Businessofcinema.com, Sippy says, "The logistics and scale of this film is huge. It is easily bigger than anything I have ever done before. It is a big challenge for me and currently I am trying to work towards that."

Apoorva Lakhia has zeroed in on the cast for the film that will launch the duo from Ekta's Kapoor's reality show Kissko Milega Ticket To Bollywood.

"It will have Sanjay Dutt, Tusshar Kapoor and Zayed Khan, besides the two newcomers from the reality show, "informs Apu.

No Abhishek this time? "Not in this one. I need to work with actors I haven't worked with before. Tusshar couldn't do my Mission Istanbul.

After Guru in 2007, Master Craftsman Manirathnam is back with his next venture. As expected it will be a bilingual in Hindi and Tamil. The film yet to be titled will have Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead role in Hindi and for the first time, Vikram will star in Mani's film. The actor who is busy completing his forthcoming biggie 'Kandasamy' will play the lead in the Tamil Version. Understandably Vikram is all excited and upbeat on working with Maniratnam.