Frieda Pinto, The Next Bond Girl

MUMBAI: Frieda Pinto, Mumbai’s Slumdog Millionaire actress, who went to the Oscars but never made it in Bollywood, has apparently signed a multi-million pound deal to play James Bond’s love interest in the 23rd Hollywood film on the suave British Secret Service agent. Frieda was said to be approached by director Sam Mendes to play the role in the film which is set in Afghanistan. A source said: “Sam is excited, the project has been in the pipeline for months, and Freida was always the dream Bond girl. But initially she was nervous about accepting the role. This is going to be the most ambitious 007 yet. Sam plans to reinvent the genre.”

Peter Morgan, who wrote The Queen, has penned the first draft of the script and it promises to be visually stunning. Freida will star alongside Daniel Craig, who will be reprising his role as Bond once more, while US actress Olivia Wilde has been approached to play a double-crossing UN worker based in Afghanistan.

Frieda, who is currently dating her Slumdog Millionaire co-star Dev Patel, was unavailable for comment. But Dev said he is thrilled his girlfriend has won such a high-profile role. A source told a London newspaper: “It will be a typically glamorous and raunchy role and Dev has been joking to friends he is cool with seeing Freida rolling around with 007.