Mumbai: T Series’ Kajraare, produced by music moghul Bhushan Kumar, and directed by Pooja Bhatt, seems to have finally found its heroine, after an intense search for Pakistani actresses who suited the role.

T Series creative director Divya Khosla (OR KUMAR??) and director Pooja Bhatt have finally zeroed in upon Monalaizza, the popular Pak actress, who is considered the Smriti Irani of Pak television to play the role opposite Himesh Reshamiyya.

Says Kumar, "Monalaizza’s character is very intense and spans a lot of emotions. We had to look for an actress who would be Pakistani and yet had the persona to essay a character who remains herself though there is a lot in store for her in that journey that is called life through Kajraare…"

Bhatt, who is directing her first maiden film outside her own production with T Series avers, "Kajraare is an out-and-out commercial film, but one with a heart." She is happy that Monalaizza will be the girl opposite Himesh. "It was Javed Shaikh who helped us find Monalaizza. And she suits the character very well. We checked out over 70 actresses before we finalized her."

Monalaizza is pretty excited about the role. "It is a beautiful character and the emotions that I have to essay are immense. I feel privileged to be selected by Divya Kumar and Pooja Bhatt for this character," she echoes.