lead actor Imran Khan. After Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), this marks the second Yash Raj Films production in a row to be helmed by a first-time director who was previously an assistant director. Zafar is originally from Dehradun, where much of the story is set. After years of working with Yash Raj Films, he submitted three love stories to producer Aditya Chopra, who eventually greenlit Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, enabling Zafar to start writing his 150-page long script. Ali Abbas Zafar is an alumnus of The Players, the acclaimed theatre society of Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, where he acted in different plays including an adaptation of William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Like many Bollywood films, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan has suffered allegations that it is a rip-off of an American film even before filming wrapped. According to these sources, the film rips off Dan in Real Life (2007), in which Steve Carell's character also falls in love with his brother's girlfriend (played by Dane Cook and Juliette Binoche respectively). The film has also drawn comparison to an earlier Yash Raj Films production, Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002). Casting Katrina Kaif and Imran Khan play the romantic leads in the film, and their involvement was announced in the same press release as the initial production company announcement. This is the first time they've been paired together. They were initially to star together in 7 Days in Paris for director Sanjay Gadhvi, but the film has been indefinitely postponed. some media publications have alleged that their casting was an attempt by Yash Raj Films to end a recent string of box-office flops and disappointments. While the film was Imran Khan's first for Yash Raj Films, Katrina Kaif had previously worked with them (and then assistant director Ali Abbas Zafar) on the critical and commercial hit New York (2009). She was able to take the role thanks to the postponement of Dostana 2 to which she was already committed. Her role has been reported in the media as different from the characters she had played in the past. It was then given to Ali Zafar (no relation to the director), an actor who'd received rave reviews for his debut film Tere Bin Laden (2010) and who confirmed his participation via his Twitter account. A popular singer, Zafar will also perform his character's singing in the film and described his