Esha Gupta bags lead role in Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Aankhen 2'

Almost four months after Ileana D'Cruz turned down a role in Anees Bazmee's 'Aankhen 2', Esha Gupta has been zeroed in for the lead part.

Esha tells hitlist, "I can finally scream about this from the rooftops. Gaurang (Doshi, producer) and Anees had forbidden me from talking about it, even with dad."

The actress is undeniably thrilled to be a part of the ensemble, which includes Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Arshad Warsi. "This film will be a milestone [in my career] because it was my dream to do a 20-second appearance alongside Amit sir. Career high is so much better than chemical high," she says.

How will the sequel, which reportedly kicks off in mid-March in South Africa, be different from the original? Esha says while the vein could be identical, the story is fresh. "This time, there are more layers, more secrets and it has me. My character is crucial to the plot and I am confident I can pull this off."