Deepika to perform solo in Bajirao Mastani

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus in progress, Bajirao Mastani will now have Deepika Padukone perform a solo Kathak number in the film, choreographed by Pandit Birju Maharaj. The maestro reveals, "I will choreograph Deepika in a solo act which is a more contemporary adaptation of one of my own performances set on an Avadhi Brijwasi thumri, Balma re chunaria maiko lal.There's a lot of lal rang in the song with Deepika dressed in fiery red, her head demurely covered by a ghoonghat but her eyes flashing fire".

Interestingly, while the Kathak maestro was earlier slated to recreate a jugalbandi a la Dola Re from Devdas, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali now has other plans. Having second thoughts about the jugalbandi between Priyanka and Deepika, the director has now asked Birju Maharaj to choreograph Deepika alone in a contemporary Kathak performance.

The song is slated to be filmed at the end of the month and the maestro ends by saying, "We'll be shooting for 12 nights at a stretch. And till then I've given Deepika lots of homework that'll keep her busy.”