If Aishwarya Rai as "Umrao Jaan" strikes you as the ultimate casting coup, then wait till you hear what movie moghul J.P. Dutta has lined up next.

It's the mother of all castings: the formidable Shabana Azmi has agreed to play Umrao Jaan's mother in J.P's version of the legendary love story.

It must be remembered that Shabana's mother, the indomitable Shaukat Azmi, had played "Umrao" Rekha's mother in the 1981 version of the film by Muzaffar Ali.

"My 'Umrao Jaan' is a totally different film based on a totally different screenplay," clarified J.P., who returned from London a day before the July 7 blasts. His wife Bindiya and two daughters are still there, though very much safe and sound.

"My father (O.P. Dutta) wrote his script nearly 20 years ago. He originally wanted to cast Nimmi as Umrao. But I guess I was destined to do the needful, with Ash."

Always known to be a creative tyrant on the sets, J.P. has a higher authority hovering over his head this time.

"I've finally got my comeuppance. My father is the boss this time. Now I know how it feels to be answerable," chuckles J.P.

Though the amazing Azmi (last seen blowing the screen apart in Mahesh Dattani's "Morning Raga") is yet to sign on the dotted line, this inspired bit of casting is more or less a certainty. Shabana met J.P. Dutta at the recent IIFA awards in Amsterdam and with characteristic bluntness told him: "No one can play my mother's role except me."

Says J.P.: "I've been closely associated with Shabana's husband Javed Akhtar. He wrote the amazing lyrics in 'Border', 'Refugee' and 'LOC'. And now, Javed is doing the lyrics for 'Umrao Jaan'. Though Shabana and I were together in college we've never worked together before."

This would perhaps be the first time in any part of the world that the daughter plays the mother's role in a movie remake.

The coming together of Shabana and Aishwarya is also a first. Rituparno Ghosh was planning to cast them together in a mother-daughter story. But it looks like J.P. will beat Ghosh to it.

Not that J.P. is in competition with anyone for anything.

"Let me say it again...my 'Umrao Jaan' is my 'Umrao Jaan'. It doesn't matter who made it with whom in the cast in the past."