MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut will be seen romancing John Abraham in the upcoming film ‘Shootout At Wadala’.

Kangana will be seen portraying a never been seen before look, with long wavy hair collected over one shoulder, dressed in a simple printed cotton-sari with minimal make-up, which makes her look a bit similar to veteran star Rekha.

The film is inspired by S. Hussain Zaidi’s novel ‘Dongri To Dubai’, but the novel has no indication of Vidya being Manya’s girlfriend or partner. It was only through police interaction while researching for the film, that director Sanjay Gupta learnt of her existence.

Initially director Sanjay Gupta wanted Vidya Balan to play the role of Vidya, Manya Surve’s love interest. When that did not work out he approached Kangana, who won the prestigious National Film Award for her exceptional performance in ‘Fashion’ (2008).

“The role of Vidya was written originally with Vidya Balan in mind, as we needed a powerhouse actress to pull off the film’s emotional dimension. When it didn’t work out, we opted for Kangana, as she is a fantastic actress. She has really stood her own amid the men in the film and delivered a knock-out performance,” said director Sanjay Gupta.

“The Police know about Vidya. So do the residents of Mumbai’s Dadar and Agar Bazaar areas where she is folklore. Many believe that she betrayed Manya, which led to his encounter. No one knows what happened to her after Manya’s death,” shared the director.

Kangana’s look has been styled on the lines of Shabana Azmi’s character from ‘Arth’, director Sanjay adds, “She’s done something she hasn’t done before.”