MUMBAI: On Wednesday morning Priyanka Chopra was signed to play the lead role in the new-age version of Zanjeer to be directed by Apoorva Lakhia.

According to sources from the project,Priyanka’s role would be a far cry from Jaya Bhaduri’s chakku-churee walee in the original Zanjeer.

Says a  source, “Priyanka will play a woman of today.She will be cast as a US-returned owner of a café. Though she will be dressed most glamorously she won’t be doing any songs or item numbers.”

Interestingly Priyanka has been paid on a par with the film’s leading man Ramcharan Teja: close to Rs 6 crores for both the Telugu and Hindi versions of Zanjeer.

 Our very reliable sources tell us that Teja has promised to help Priyanka with her Telugu if she promises to help him with his Hindi.

Zanjeer’s co-producer Amit Mehra confirmed the casting of Priyanka Chopra.