New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif is set to step into the shoes of Priyanka

Chopra as the female lead of the Salman Khan-starrer ‘Bharat’.

Trade sources said Katrina will play the love interest of Salman in the film.

Ali Abbas Zafar, who earlier worked with the actress in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, has now signed her as the female lead in the period drama 'Bharat'.

The development comes a couple of days after Priyanka opted out of the film.

Director Zafar said he was very excited to work with Katrina and Salman once again after the success of ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’.



“I am extremely excited to work with Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan once again for Bharat. We have had exciting collaborations in the past and it is very interesting to work with the duo once again. Katrina got on board in the Nick of time for the project and it is very delightful to work with the immensely talented actress yet again,' he said.

The first schedule of the film has already commenced.

Trade sources said that Katrina will join the shoot of 'Bharat' in September.

‘Bharat’ will feature Salman in five different looks spanning 60 years.

The sources said ‘Bharat’, a story spanning across many periods, will be shot across exotic locations in Malta and Abu Dhabi, besides Punjab and Delhi in India.



‘Bharat’ is produced by Atul Agnihotri’s Reel Life Production Pvt. Ltd and Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series .

The film will hit cinema screens on Eid in 2019.

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