'Haseena' delayed due to date problems, to start soon: Apoorva Lakhia

Mumbai: Director Apoorva Lakhia says his upcoming biopic on underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena will start once the dates issue is sorted out.

Sonakshi Sinha is likely to star in the titular role in "Haseena ? The Queen of Mumbai". The actress had recently said she is yet to take a call on the biopic.

"Haseena should start soon. It has been a little delayed, it was supposed to start in February. We are waiting to confirm dates and let's see," Lakhia told PTI.

"She (Sonakshi) has not signed on right now because we are waiting for the dates to come in. She has approved the subject and all that," he said.

"Haseena ? The Queen of Mumbai" will depict the emotional saga of the underworld don's sister. Lakhia says the film is on track and everyone in the team has liked the subject.

"It's on track... everyone has liked the script, everyone wants to do the film. But we are just having problems with the dates. Once that happens it'll be on track. Till the dates are not confirmed, there is no point signing someone and making them wait and making us wait for a year. In the next one week we should come to know," he said.

Meanwhile, Lakhia will be seen in the upcoming season six of Celebrity Cricket League, playing for actor Sohail Khan's team Mumbai Heroes.

The filmmaker, who has helmed action movies like 'Shootout at Lokhandwala', 'Mission Istaanbul' and the remake of 'Zanjeer', feels it is difficult to make a film on cricket.

"I doubt it. Unless it's a mind-blowing subject. It's not easy to make a film on cricket. It's very difficult to sustain that level of interest. 'Lagaan' was one of the only cricket film, which was not even a cricket film," he said.

"It was based on cricket, but it comes only in last 25 minutes. But that was the only film which worked on cricket. Let's see what happens with 'Azhar' and all," he said.

Lakhia is also happy that his friend-actor Sanjay Dutt will come out of jail next month and feels he will now become one of the biggest stars.

"I am so happy that finally Sanju sir is coming out. He is like an elder brother to me. He was my senior in school, I've known him all my life. I've known him since I was six years old. He has always been a brother, a supporter. When I came into the industry he was the first guy I went and met.

"I am so happy that finally this trauma is over and he is coming out a free man. I think he is now going to become one of the biggest stars," Lakhia said.