National Award-winning director Jahnu Barua’s long-stalled film, Har Pal, will finally release next year. Starring Shiney Ahuja and Preity Zinta, the film was supposed to release in 2009.

But that year Shiney was accused of sexually molesting his maid, and so film could not see the light of day. Confirms Jahnu, “Things have started settling down now. It will release by June next year,” says Barua, adding that he has been working towards getting it to theatres in these two years.

Now that Shiney is currently out on bail, the makers decided to take plans, to release the film, forward. However, recently Har Pal was also involved in another controversy, wherein Preity expressed her contempt for the film’s producer.

She had claimed that he borrowed money from her and then did not answer her calls. But Jahnu doesn’t get into the matter or divulge any more details, saying, “There were some problems with the producer.”

The art house Assamese director, who hasn’t ventured into any project since Har Pal, will start work on two films next year. “I will begin shooting for one of them next month,” says the director, whose last release was the critically-acclaimed film, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005). “I can’t say much about the films so early, but both are love stories.”

Har Pal, too, is a love story that revolves around two neighbours — Shiney and Preity. Eesha Koppikkar plays Preity’s roommate.