First look: meet Ayushmann Khurrana's new leading lady

After launching Parineeti Chopra, an ex-employee of his production house, Aditya Chopra gives is set to give a break to Bhumi, another employee with him, as an actor in Maneesh Sharma's next.

After

Bhumi-Pednekar-and-Ayushmann-Khurrana-in-a-still-from-Maneesh-Sharma-s-Dum-Laga-Ke-Haisha

Parineeti Chopra

, who got a break in an Aditya Chopra-produced film while she was working as a PR professional in his production house, another actor has been 'discovered' in a similar manner.

On February 7, HT Café reported that Bhumi Pednekar had been cast as a lead actor in

Maneesh Sharma

’s film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She used to work in the company’s casting department.

Bhumi, incidentally, had other plans when it to came her career in the film industry.

"When asked what she really wanted to do, she said that she’d like to direct a film and work under Shimit Amin as an assistant director. However, she always had acting at the back of her mind," says an insider from the production house.

Maneesh, who is also producing the film, was auditioning girls from all over the country at that time to play the lead in the project that also stars

.

The team at the production house told Bhumi that they needed her to do a mock test for other actors living overseas, so that they would get some idea about the role. "She performed and they loved it," says the source.

When contacted,

Maneesh

says, "I saw her conduct an audition through a door that was slightly open. That is when I knew she could act. She fit the bill completely."