Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next magnum opus is already creating news…and for all the right reasons.

His next brainchild, Padmavati, sure has an interesting cast. While SLB regulars, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, have been brought in as Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmini, respectively, the third main character also has a face now.

Yes, Shahid Kapoor will play the role of Padmavati’s husband Raja Raval Ratan Singh in the epic romance saga, a leading daily has confirmed. Before taking up the project, the new-father seems to have put forward a list of conditions.

Since he recently became a papa, he apparently doesn’t want to begin shooting for the pivotal role for at least a couple of months, the daily added. Moreover, he’s said to have requested Sanjay Leela Bhansali to add a couple of scenes for him, so as to have equal footage as SLB’s blue-eyed boy Ranveer, the daily stated.

It added further that the director agreed to the demands and was quite excited to work with Shahid, who’s pairing up with the ace director for the first time. In fact, Shahid will be sharing screen space with Deepika for the first time too.

The story is said to based on the poem Padmavat by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, where Rani Padmini’s enticing beauty makes Allaudin Khilji luster after her. In the ensuing battle, her husband Raval Singh loses his life, while she self-immolates herself to escape the clutches of Khilhj.

SLB, who directed an opera based on the subject in Europe, is expected to add his brand of grandeur to the love story.

After playing star-crossed lovers Ram-Leela and Bajirao-Mastani, this would be Deepika and Ranveer’s third outing in a grand drama.

But unlike the first two movies, the two wouldn’t play conventional lovers and are not cast opposite each other.