GURGAON: Actress Kareena Kapoor feels she was destined to do director Madhur Bhandarkar’s “Heroine” and says the film is very close to her heart.

Bhandarkar first offered the lead role to Kareena but she couldn’t do it due to date issues and it went to Aishwarya Rai. However, Aishwarya subsequently opted out due to pregnancy.

And the film once again landed in Kareena’s lap and she said: “Being a part of ‘Heroine’ was my destiny. The first time I couldn’t do it because I didn’t have dates and second time I was happy that the film came back to me. I had no second thoughts about it and agreed to do it.

“I had a wonderful experience working on this film and it is very close to my heart. Ever since I watched ‘Chandni Bar’, I wanted to work with Madhur (Bhandarkar),” she told reporters here Tuesday.

The actress was here with Bhandarkar. Slated for a Sep 21 release, the film, which will focus on behind-the-scenes life of an actress, also features Arjun Rampal and Randeep Hooda.