Abhishek, Vidya Balan paired in Balki's Pa

Having got masterly performances out of Tabu and the Big B in Cheeni Kum, director R. Balakrishnan may be expected to recreate the same magic in his next feature film. But he is on a different track in his second directorial venture titled Pa.

Pa features father-son Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, but no Tabu. "But that's because Pa has no room for Tabu at all. This time the story is a father-son one. Amitabh has no love interest in the film and I am sorry about that. Abhishek does have a girl though," Balakrishnan told IANS.

For the female lead, the director has roped in Vidya Balan - the first time that Abhishek is being paired with the lately out-of-sight Vidya. "We've already approached Vidya and she has more or less agreed. I can see her as a pair with Abhishek, can't you?"

Vidya comes into the picture through her sister Priya, who works with ad man Balakrishnan at Lintas.

"In fact, it's Priya I know well. I got to know Vidya only when we started talking for Pa," said the director, fondly called Balki.

After being paired with Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji and Priyanka Chopra, Abhishek is on the look out for fresh collaborative opportunities. Vidya is someone the Bachchans have admired from the time the Big B saw her in Parineeta and then worked with her in Eklavya - The Royal Guard.

The Big B had compared Vidya with his favourite actress Waheeda Rehman.

So is Balki looking at the prospect of directing a new pair?

"I don't look at it that way. Vidya suits the role. I've known her from her ad days. Though we haven't done any ad together she has done ads for my company Lintas."

Source: Sify.com