By Subhash K Jha, IANS

Laying to rest rumours of Ranvir Shorey's rift with Konkona Sen Sharma, the two will be seen together in cinematographer Anil Mehta's directorial debut, designed as the former Bollywood queen Madhuri Dixit's comeback film.

Ranvir and Konkona, who were in Rajat Kapoor's "Mixed Doubles", will be seen as a part of Madhuri's theatre group while Anupam Kher has been penciled in to play Madhuri's mentor. Apparently, Kunal Kapoor has also been approached to play a role.

"Madhuri has a dream role," a member of the film's crew told IANS. "It's her story all the way. All the other actors are important but supportive. Madhuri plays a theatre actress. It's her character's 10-year-old journey that forms the film's crux."

Although Madhuri had played a member of a dance troupe in Yash Raj Films' super hit "Dil To Paagal Hai", she has never played a role of a theatre actress before. In fact, Anil Mehta's film would be the first since Gulzar's unreleased "Libaas" to be set in the theatre world.

The story, an absolute original, has nothing to do with the Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts tearjerker "Stepmom". Rumours of Mehta's movie being traceable to the Hollywood film have been making the rounds.

"But there's no truth to it. Madhuri won't do a Hollywood remake at this stage of her career," said the source.

Madhuri, who quit Bollywood to start a family in the US after Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas", is staging a comeback with this untitled venture after five years.