Prateik Babbar joins Aditi Rao Hydari for Indo-UK production Lioness

Prateik Patil Babbar has joined the cast of the Indian-UK production Lioness in which he will essay the role of a Sikh. The film also stars Aditi Rao Hydari and British actress Paige Sandhu, and is based on the life of Princess of Punjab, Sophia Duleep Singh, who was one of the key leaders of UK's suffragette movement, a tireless advocate for the rights of women and children.

Sharing his excitement, Babbar said, "It is an honour for me to be part of a film that celebrates the legacy of the grand-daughter of our Sher-e-Punjab - Maharaja Ranjit Singh. I will be playing the role of Rajdeep Singh, a British Sikh living in the 1990s in Southall. The character has given me a chance to understand and get closer to my Punjabi heritage. It is a huge responsibility."

The film is inspired by the research of Peter Bance, the historian who discovered the story of Sophia Duleep Singh, who was the grand-daughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the goddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Lioness, certified by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the British Film Institute (BFI), is being made under the bi-lateral treaty signed by both countries in 2008. The film was launched at the recently concluded Cannes film festival and is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Kajri Babbar.

The film is currently in pre-production and is slated to start shooting by the end of this year in London.