It’s on!

When Deepa Mehta came to Mumbai for a day, she met Amitabh Bachchan at his office Janak to ink a deal. Yes, Deepa and Mr Bachchan are working together in her next, titled Exclusion.

It looks like Mr Bachchan's earlier stance on the redundancy of an international career is going for a toss. Whether he wants it or not, international filmmakers are ready to sign him for their films.

After Mira Nair, who signed him for her Hollywood opus Shantaram, it's Deepa who has roped in senior Bachchan for Exclusion. Earlier titled Kamagata Maru, this is a true-life tale of a ship that took a group of illegal Indians to the shores of Canada in the early part of the 19th century. The film will star Big B and John Abraham.

Says Deepa, "Mr Bachchan and I met in Toronto when he was there to promote Karan Johar's film ( Kabhi Alvidaa Naa Kehna). I was there with Water. At that time he showed an interest in Exclusion. Now we met again at his office on Friday and he has accepted my offer. I'm too delighted for words. It's been a dream to direct him."