MUMBAI: Even as Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dor, which is produced by Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd and Percept Picture Company (PPC) is scheduled to release on 22 September, comes the news that PPC has signed on Kukunoor to direct two more films. These films will be released next year.

The first movie is Aashayein, starring John Abraham in the lead role. The rest of the cast is in the process of being finalized. Aashayein is slated to go on floors in March 2007. The film is a heartwarming fable about life and its positive elements. It is a story of a compulsive gambler who discovers new meanings of fortune and life through some dramatic turn of events. “When I had recorded the song Aashayein for my film Iqbal I had liked it so much that since that day I had it in mind to make a film with this title,” says Kukunoor.

The second film with the working title Five Women (Bemisal) is scheduled to go on floor in July 2007. The cast of the film is been worked upon. Aashayein and Five Women (Bemisal) will be in association with SIC Productions.

Kukunoor says, “Working with Percept on Dor gave me the comfort of associating with someone who has the guts to support cinema that bends the rules. I would like to take this relationship further. Aashayein is the first step, Bemisal is the next… this is what we hope to do – content cinema that makes box office sense.”

Percept Holdings joint managing director Shailendra Singh says, “Now Percept and Nagesh are finalizing plans not only to make films but also content development, script shops and the future of creating global cinema together.”