Akshay Kumar to play Prithviraj Chauhan in YRF's next?

News of Akshay Kumar signing a Yash Raj film has been doing the rounds for some time. Reports suggest that Kumar will be featuring in big-budget period drama that will be produced by Aditya Chopra.DNA now reports that Kumar indeed will be a part of the period drama that is being mounted on a large scale by YRF.

Akshay will be seen playing the role of Prithviraj Chauhan in the period film. A source close to the production house told DNA that art director Chandraprakash Dwivedi will be directing the film. "Chandraprakash has been planning to make a movie on Prithviraj Chauhan for the last two-and-a-half years now. Akshay has been his only choice for the role. Aditya loved his storytelling and decided to back the project," said the source.

The film will highlight the Rajput king's love story with Samyukhta and also him as a ruler and a warrior.

"The project will roll out around mid-next year after Akshay finishes 'Hera Pheri 3'. Right now, the filmmaker and his team is busy with research and pre-production,” added the source. Incidentally, Akshay and YRF will be working together after a gap of 11 years. His last release was Tashan in 2008.

Aditya Chopra is in fact backing two big period ventures consecutively — this one and Ranbir Kapoor’s Shamshera that goes on floors by the end of this year.