Actress Huma Qureshi has replaced actress Kangna Ranaut in Vishal Bhardwaj’s movie ‘Dedh Ishqiya’.

Kangna Ranaut was initially signed to play the second female lead in the movie. But due to the delay in the movie’s schedule the actress was unable to accommodate the movie in her busy schedule.

“Director Abhishek Chaubey has taken his own time to finish the script of ‘Dedh Ishqiya’. He wanted to start the film only after he was sure of the script. Now that it is ready and the cast has been locked, it is ready to roll out. Earlier Kangna was signed for the film but there was a problem regarding her dates that were overlapping with the ones for Sai Kabir's next. Kangna could not accommodate Vishal's film,” said a source to Mid-Day.

Apparently Huma Qureshi’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ co-star Richa Chaddha was also considered for the role. But as Huma Qureshi has already working in Vishal Bhardwaj’s co-production venture with Ekta Kapoor ‘Ek Thi Daayan’, directed by Kannan Iyer, Vishal Bhardwaj decided to sign Huma Qureshi for the movie.

“Huma was selected since she had already worked with Vishal in Kannan Iyer's next. The shoot starts on February 18 in Lucknow,” the source said.

‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is a sequel to 2010 hit movie ‘Ishqiya’.

The movie will see Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin Shah move from Gorakhpur (where ‘Ishqiya’ was set) to Lucknow and meet a highly cultured Muslim family that includes Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi. While Naseeruddin Shah will romance Madhuri, Arshad Warsi will romance Huma Qureshi.

Director Abhishek Chaubey, who directed ‘Ishqiya’, is all set to direct the sequel. Vishal Bhardwaj will return as a producer in the sequel.