"Chennai Express" actors - Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, will reportedly share screen space again in director Farah Khan's upcoming hyped film "Happy New Year".

Reports of Deepika being roped in to play the female lead in "Happy New Year" comes at a time when Katrina Kaif was said to commence shooting of the film.

Initially, television actresses like Ankita Lokhande, Jennifer Winget and Simran Kaur Mundi were said to be considered for the role. Later, reports emerged that Katrina was roped in to play the lead after the shoot of her film "Bang Bang" was put on hold until her co-star Hrithik Roshan recovers completely from a brain surgery he underwent earlier in July.

"The casting director of the film had already finalised the other three ladies. But with Hrithik going for his sudden brain surgery, the equations changed and Kat came on board. She is completely free for the next three months," the Mid-Day tabloid quoted a source as saying.

But contrary to reports, Deepika has been finalised for the film which will go on floors in September.

Earlier, reports surfaced that Farah had approached Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the role. But the actress was said to have rejected the offer as she would not be cast opposite Abhishek Bachchan, who is also a part of the project. Apart from Abhishek, Farah has also roped in Boman Irani for the film.

"Happy New Year" was said to go on floors in July, but the film's makers postponed the shooting on account of Shah Rukh's surgery to fix a shoulder injury that he sustained on the sets of "Chennai Express".