Shree Narayan Singh rubbishes talk of Shraddha Kapoor replacing Katrina Kaif in Batti Gul Meter Chalu

He made a successful debut with Toilet: Ek Prem Katha this year. Now, director Shree Narayan Singh has started working on his next film, Batti Gul Meter Chalu.

A report in the Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day said Katrina Kaif has been replaced by Shraddha Kapoor in the film. However, the director scoffed at such talk. 

“I did meet Katrina, but I have also held casual discussions with other actors," he told Cinestaan.com. "Except Shahid Kapoor, no one is locked yet. That’s because I am still to finish writing my script, which has changed slightly from the initial concept. My story is set in Uttaranchal, and I am looking for a girl who is well versed with the language. At the moment, only Shahid Kapoor has been signed on.”

A little birdie had informed us that the story of Batti Gul Meter Chalu is partly based on the life of notorious electricity thief Loha Singh. A documentary film on him, titled Katiyabaaz, was released in 2014, and received acclaim on the festival circuit.

Shree Narayan Singh, however, denied his film was based on the katiyabaaz. ”I can assure you my film has nothing to do with katiyabaaz," he said. "Mine is a different story. As a matter of fact, you can gauge the story from the title. But I can’t be revealing more. Let us first finish the script and then we get down to casting.”

Shraddha Kapoor is currently working on the Saina Nehwal biopic while Kaif is working on Thugs Of Hindostan with Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. She has also worked on Aanand L Rai’s untitled film starring Shah Rukh Khan.

Batti Gul Meter Chalu is slated to be released on 31 August 2018.