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Bollywood glamour girl Celina Jaitley has signed on to star opposite Shortland Street poster boy Benjamin Mitchell in the New Zealand feature film Love Has No Language.
The former Miss India is set to arrive in the country next month and has yet to meet her co-star, who plays Dr T.K. Samuels in the local soap opera.
Billed as a romantic comedy, the film is described as a "cross-culture tale of love between a Maori heart-throb and a beautiful Indian migrant".
Produced by Pan Pacific Pictures, in association with Media Network Corporation, the independent film will receive no Government money.
Shooting begins next month and is expected to take six to eight weeks, says Media Network Corporation marketing manager Prakash Mani.
Most of the filming will be at private locations and studios in Auckland, with a small portion shot in Queenstown.
The film is aimed predominantly at New Zealand audiences, but Mr Mani said Indian audiences would watch the film just to see Jaitley.
"She's the glamour girl of India," he explained. "She is one of thetop actresses in India. She's verywell known."
Since winning Miss India in 2001, Jaitley has appeared in more than 15 feature films.
Scheduled for release early next year, Love Has No Language will premiere in New Zealand before heading to Indian screens.
Producer Sue Moses said the film was intended to portray New Zealand's diverse multiculturalism to the world. It would also deal with various social issues, including breast cancer and smoking.
Shortland Street fans need not fear the absence of T.K. in the coming months. The 25-year-old actor will continue to star in the soap opera while making the feature film.
Shortland Street producer Jason Daniel said it would be a busy time for Mitchell but he was confident the actor was up to the job. "He's extremely dedicated and hard working."
