Vishal Bharadwaj's much-anticipated collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan, 2 States, is now firmly on the backburner with the director finalising the main cast of his next fim, a social satire starring his good friend Ajay Devgn and SRK's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi co-star Anushka Sharma.

A source close to the actress said that when she got the offer from Vishal, whom she had wanted to work with for a while, she accepted instantly.

"I loved Anushka in Band Baaja Baraat. But more than that, I can't forget her very impressive debut in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

She is one of the finest actresses amongst the new lot," Vishal told Mumbai Mirror.

"She was always my first choice for the film. I know her socially, and thought she would be perfect as Ajay Devgn's love interest in the film."

Vishal's leading lady in his last couple of films was Priyanka Chopra, but with the indifferent response to 7 Khoon Maaf, the filmmaker seems to have moved on.

Vishal described the new film as a social satire, and "a comedy with dark undertones". It will be produced by him, Devgn and Kumar Mangat.

It will go on floor early next year, tentatively in mid-January.

The idea for the film came to Vishal after 2 States, a Sajid Nadiadwala production of an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's book, was not moving forward due to a variety of reasons.

"Vishal and Ajay met at the premiere of Pyaar Ka Punchnaama, a film produced by Kumar Mangat.

They got talking there, and only a few days later, Vishal announced his new project with Ajay," a source said.

So where does that leave 2 States? Vishal stressed that he was not abandoning the project, and only pushing it back for a while.

"I've always wanted to work with Shah Rukh Khan.

We shall work together very soon."

Shah Rukh and Ajay Devgn, incidentally, have not been known to be on good terms since 1995, when SRK replaced him in Rakesh Roshan's Karan Arjun.

The there has reportedly been no thaw between them even though Devgn's wife Kajol and Shah Rukh are good friends.