Bollywood Calling to Frieda

After two shelved films with Abhay Deol, Navdeep Singh of Manorama Six Feet Under seems to have finally found a script that can be directed.

We have it from a very reliable source that Navdeep's new project is about a female detective who is out to solve a murder mystery.

Navdeep has firmed in on Freida Printo to star in the film. She has shown a keen interest. However, there's one problem.

Over to the source. `Freida met Navdeep and Vikramaditya Motwane who was to produce the film starring her as a detective. She liked the script. But she had one pre-condition before signing the film. She wants Vikram Motwane to direct the project while Navdeep,thinks Freida, could be on board as a writer.`

Freida's pre-condition has frozen the project in its tracks.

Says the source, `The whole idea of Navdeep writing the film was to let him direct it so that the long break due to his aborted projects would be broken.He has been able to make only one film in six years.Vikram Motwane was only helping his friend Navdeep out.

There's no way he will step in as director. If Freida insists they will go to another actress.At the moment they're trying to convince her.`

Coming to Navdeep Singh's shelved projects ,we have it from the source that the Zombie film Shaadi Of The Dead which was being co-produced by Ekta Kapoor and Sid Jain has been called off due to `creative differences` between Navdeep and the production team.

Says the source, `There was a move to ease Navdeep out of the project. But his pal Abhay Deol also threatened to walk out.So that move died down.Prior to the zombie film, Navdeep had started another film Basra with Abhay Deol in the lead.

That didn't go very far either.Then there was a project for PVR that Navdeep signed with Abhay Deol in the lead. That project too got stymied in its infancy. In fact Abhay was paid an initial amount of Rs 1 crore for the project . It was adjusted against his fee for Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai which PVR produced.`

Navdeep Singh when contacted, said, `The zombie flick is stalled. I am working on something new. It's still early. Nothing has been locked in as yet.`