Sonam Kapoor Ahuja has shared that her next film will be an adaptation of Anuja Chauhan's novel 'Battle for Bittora'. Ahuja will start shooting for the film in 2024. Ahuja's sister, Rhea Kapoor has bought the rights to the book, which was published in 2010. The film will be made under the banner of Anil Kapoor Film and Communication Network.
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival's market initiative 'Word to Screen', Ahuja said, "I'm going to do Battle for Bittora next year, finally. That's a beloved character but I feel a lot of girls might have read the book. I feel a lot of girls, maybe of our generation know (about the book), but I don't think the younger generation knows the character as much. So, we have the advantage of that."
'Battle for Bittora' follows the story of an animation expert, who finds herself contesting elections in Bittora opposite an ex-royal. As per a report in ETimes, Pakistani actor Fawad Khan was supposed to play the leading man when discussions about adapting the book first began. But now that Pakistani artists have been banned from working in Indian films, the makers are on the lookout for a new actor.
When asked about working with Khan again, as their pairing in Khoobsurat (2014) was well received, Ahuja said, "Yes, I know. We miss him obviously. But I think we will get someone equally amazing and equally beautiful to look at."
Ahuja added, "The script is done. We are looking for an actor and the director is also not locked in yet. Only the producer and female lead is (locked)," she said. Battle for Bittora is the second collaboration between Ahuja and Chauhan, whose novel 'The Zoya Factor' was adapted into a film with the same title, starring Ahuja and Dulquer Salman.