The decision was taken after Kareena was finalised for Saif’s home production. The actress, who has always wanted to play a full-on action star like Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, will undergo rigorous training to get into an athletic shape. Kareena is expected to not only have some super-slick, hand-to-hand, heart-in-the-mouth combats with Saif but also her adversaries.

Kareena will play an undercover agent from another country (apparently Pakistan). Her Mata Hari like role will have shades of Mala Sinha in Aankhen and Rehana Sultan in the 1977 film, Agent Vinod.

But director Sriram Raghavan clarifies that Agent Vinod is not a remake of either film. “It’s a spy drama, which will have its roots in the films you’ve mentioned. But the only similarity to the Rajshri espionage film with Mahendra Sandhu and Rehana Sultan is the title, which the Rajshris so graciously gave us,” he said.

In fact Sooraj Barjatya, who has worked with Saif in Hum Saath Saath Hain and Kareena in Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, had absolutely no qualms parting with the title Agent Vinod.

Saif confirmed Kareena’s role and said, “She does play an undercover agent from another country. Kareena will do everything I do in the film, and she’ll do it even better. She will kick butt better than all the other girls in our industry, that’s for sure.”

Commenting on the films the couple plans to produce together, Saif said, “We’ll definitely be producing films together. It will give us a chance to grow as actors. The idea is for both of us to grow together as human beings and artistes. Although Kareena’s name is not in our production logo, she is as much the producer of Agent Vinod as I. I prefer not to have our names in the production logo. All I want to do is make great films, live healthy, eat good food, read comic books and novels, exercise and have Kareena by my side. I couldn’t have asked for more. I’m smiling like an idiot even as I speak.”