MUMBAI: Bollywood newcomer Ileana d’Cruz, the highest paid actress in Telugu cinema who made a startling impact opposite Ranbir Kapoor in ‘Barfi!’ is to step in to play Tiger Shroff’s’s on-screen tigress in his debut film.

The only hitch is, Salman Khan has also shown interest in casting Ileana opposite him in ‘Kick’. And Sajid Nadiadwala, who is the producer of both the projects is wondering which of the two heroes, the debutant and the superstar double the debutant’s age, would be ideally cast with Ileana.

Says a source, “It’s a dilemma for Sajid. ‘Kick’ is his own directorial debut, and that too with Salman who is like a brother. On the other hand,launching Tiger Shroff in ‘Hero-Panti’ is a responsibility that Sajid has taken on. Tiger is Jackie Shroff’s son and needs to be launched in style. While Ileana suits Tiger and the project to perfection, it is very likely that Ileana would slip into ‘Kick’ instead.”

Says the source, “Ileana is visually compatible with Salman on screen. It’s likely that a newcomer would be cast opposite Tiger.”

The whole confusion over who would be cast opposite Tiger started when Ileana’s contemporary from Telugu cinema Tamannaah was quietly eased out of ‘Hero-panti’.