Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra welcomed their baby girl in July this year. The actress is on a maternity break and currently has no film lined up that is officially announced. She was reportedly going to star in Maddock Horror Comedy Universe's Shakti Shalini, but was replaced by Aneet Padda. Kiara was also announced as the female lead of Don 3, but reportedly, Kriti Sanon has replaced her.
However, according to a report in Mid-day, the actress has signed her first film post delivery and she is all set to play the role of Meena Kumari in Siddharth P Malhotra's Kamal Aur Meena. A source revealed, “The negotiations were going on for months. In Kiara, the director has found a performer, who carries vintage Bollywood charm and has the emotional depth to do justice to Meena Kumari’s life.”
According to the report, the shooting of Kamal Aur Meena will start in the first half of 2026. Another source said, “It gives Kiara enough time to prepare, as she will have to pick up the basics of Urdu.”
Kamal Aur Meena Announcement
Kamal Aur Meena was announced last year in September. While announcing the film, Siddharth P Malhotra had shared on Instagram, “Kamal Aur Meena - a cinematic experience that promises to capture one of the most iconic love stories in the history of Hindi cinema. Kamal Aur Meena will bring to life the epic, real-life romance between the legendary director and screenwriter Kamal Amrohi and the celebrated actress Meena Kumari. With access to over 500 handwritten letters exchanged between Kamal Sahaab and Meenaji as well as personal journals detailing their life together the insights and research we have in telling this story in invaluable (sic)."
"It’s a profound privilege to direct this incredible true story, though the responsibility is immense. Their relationship was one of deep love and artistic collaboration, spanning over 20 years—from their first meeting when she was just 18 and he was 34, from the creation to shoot and release, The legacy of Pakeezah (sic)."
While reportedly Kiara has been selected to play the role of Meena Kumari, the makers are still looking for the actor who would play the role of Kamal Amrohi.
