This will be for the first time Saif will be starring in a film which will also feature megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Pre-production work is in full swing and a final announcement of the film will be made next month, sources said.
Initially, the filmmaker wanted to sign his favourite Ajay Devgn for the project which deals with the issue of reservations. Ajay has worked with Jha in his previous movies like 'Gangajal' and 'Apaharan'.
"Preparations for 'Aarakshan' with Prakash Jha are on in swing and another meet today was done to finalize aspects of the oncoming shoot. Saif Ali now replaces Ajay and soon we shall be making a final announcement of this," Bachchan wrote on his blog.
When contacted, sources close to Ajay Devgn said 2010 had been a very busy year for the actor and he has decided to go slow in 2011.
"Apart from 'Toonpur Ka Superhero' and 'Dil to Bachcha Hai Ji', Ajay has two films with Rohit Shetty in the pipeline. He is not taking any new projects," sources added.
However, according to speculations in the industry, Ajay was not happy with how his role in 'Raajneeti' turned out. Ajay had said he had got mixed responses to his presence in the film. "Many said I shouldn't have done the film," he had said.
Despite the speculations about their alleged rift post 'Raajneeti', the two had greeted each other warmly at the mahurat of Rajkumar Santoshi's 'Power' in which Ajay stars with Amitabh, Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt.